Bethlehem Books eBooks Sale: Thursday and Friday Only

Bethlehem Books is having a two day sale on their ebooks today (March 20th) and tomorrow (March 21st) only. Their eVersion books (electronic editions of books in print) are $2.95 and the eStacks books (electronic editions of books not currently available in print) are $0.95. I don't think I've read a book from Bethlehem Books I didn't like, and there are many that are absolutely wonderful. If you have an ereader for your children, this is a great opportunity to select enough quality books to last them through their summer reading or to supplement studies with independent reading. Because of their quality, the print versions tend to remain relatively expensive, even used.

I've read a couple of their ebooks on my Kindle and they worked perfectly. Their easy to navigate and include all the illustrations. Most of the books mentioned below, a few of my favorites from Bethlehem Books, I read in print.
 The Mitchells: Five for Victory, Canadian Summer, and Friendly Gables by Hilda van Stockum is a trilogy focused on the Mitchell family. My kids and I enjoyed these books tremendously as family read-alouds. They are appropriate for all ages, but Canadian Summer might be one of my favorite books of all-time.

Old Sam, Dakota Trotter by Don Alonzo Taylor was another favorite read aloud for our family. I enjoyed the book myself, and was surprised at how much more it delighted the children.

Victory on the Walls by Frieda Clark Hyman is historical fiction of the best sort, bringing the time of Nehemiah to life through the eyes of his young nephew. I read it just this month as I began preparing for our studies next year. First Son will be reading it independently in fifth grade.

I'm in the middle of Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson right now, also in preparation for First Son's independent reading next year. It's definitely for more mature readers as the book includes the destruction of Uriah's home and murder of his mother and sister before the first couple of chapters are through. There's human sacrifice, prayers to pagan gods, torture of prisoners, and war. Even as an adult, though, I've never felt such a great interest in the clashes of the cultures of the Hittites, Canaanites, Egyptians, Hebrews, and others, in the time of Deborah.

Big John's Secret by Eleanor Jewett is the wonderful story of a young man who serves as a page and squire in England and the Holy Land during the time of the Fifth Crusade. He is searching for his place in the world and his father. It has a surprisingly balanced presentation of the Muslims in the Holy Land, with whom John lives for a year. St. Francis of Assisi makes an appearance as well. It's highly recommended.

Once Upon a Time Saints and More Once Upon a Time Saints by Ethel Pochocki are enchanting tales of saints perfect for young readers or to read aloud to the whole family. They are almost two volumes of the same book as the saints are arranged alphabetically across the two books. More Once Upon a Time Saints is not yet available as an ebook. Ethel Pochocki's Saints and Heroes contains many stories of more recent saints and is appropriate for older kids ready for tales of martyrs for the faith in modern times.

Of course, Bethlehem Books publishes a great many print only books as well that are worth your time. The Fairchild Family books will ever be one of my favorite series to read aloud to a young family and I can't recommend them highly enough.

This post is entirely my own. I have not received anything in exchange for this post and will not receive anything if anyone follows a link and makes a purchase.

My Favorite Picture Books: Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

 by Alicia Potter, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

This is a relatively new book I learned about over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast (which is a fabulous place to learn about new picture books and illustrators).

Mr. Harkness is an explorer who dies while he is on a quest in China in 1936 to find and bring home a panda bear, a creature so elusive many scientists believe, like unicorns, they do not exist. His wife, whom he married just a few weeks before his expedition, decides to honor his memory by taking on the quest herself. Despite discouragement from every side, Mrs. Harkness simply smiles and goes on with the expedition. She travels to China, into the depths of the interior, and succeeds! She brings home Su Lin, a baby panda, who finds a home in Chicago's Brookfield Zoo to much fanfare.

A note at the end of the book discusses the change in environmental attitudes that make us feel it was wrong of her to take the baby panda away from the wild and its mother, explaining that, in many ways, this act was the beginning of the idea that we should be helping animals survive in the wild rather than hunting them.

The book is interesting, exciting, and a wonderful reminder of what we can do when we have faith in ourselves and our vocation. The illustrations are a perfect accompaniment. Much of the art is a collage-style including papers the illustrators collected in China. One of my favorite pages shows Mrs. Harkness's journey to China with four postcards from time period of the Red Sea, Ceylon, Singapore, and China. There are even a few actual photographs of Ruth Harkness and Su Lin.

You could read this book when talking about the 1930s, women explorers, environmental issues, pandas, or China. Or you could just read it to enjoy the illustrations and an exciting story.

American History Picture Books in 2012-2013 Post 2 of 5: Progressive Era and Immigration

This is the second post in a series on the picture books we read along with our American History studies in 2012-2013 when First Son was in  third grade, First Daughter was in kindergarten, Second Daughter was four and Second Son wasn't paying attention.

First of all, I forgot to mention a fun book in my last post on Slavery and the Civil War, Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend) by Deborah Hopkinson with pictures by John Hendrix. We didn't read this for our study because I found it later, but it's a fun tale of Abraham Lincoln's youth, when he was saved from near-certain death by a friend. It humorously reminds us that we don't know everything about the past from the tales that come down to us. What I love most about it, though, is the thought at the end that even the actions of a child can lead to great things in the future.

Going West by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Thomas B. Allen, is a nice book about a pioneer family traveling west by covered wagon to the prairie. The weather is harsh, the neighbors are few, but the family makes a home.

Two Scarlet Songbirds: A Story of Anton Dvorak by Carole Lexa Schaefer, illustrated by Elizabeth Rosen, tells of Dvorak's visit to Iowa in 1893 and his composition of his American Quartet. It's fictionalized, but fun to read. I read this again to the children recently as part of our music appreciation. Then we listened to some of the piece on Spotify.

I put in our book basket Ten Mile Day and the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad by Mary Ann Fraser. That's a fine book, but just last year Brian Floca published Locomotive. The illustrations are stunning and the text is as much a part of the story as it tells the story. The endpapers are full of additional information on the first transcontinental railway line as well as the engine itself. I can completely understand why it won the Caldecott Medal and think it would be perfect for this kind of study. You might need to pause and finish on another day with younger children (just watch to see if their interest is lagging) because it is such a rich book.

I found two biographies of George Washington Carver I liked. I finally decided to ask the children which the wanted to hear. Based purely on the front cover, First Daughter requested A Weed Is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver written and illustrated by Aliki. I also really enjoyed A Man for All Seasons: The Life of George Washington Carver by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Wil Clay. They convey similar information and are both inspiring.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, is one of my favorite picture books. I love it and any excuse to read it.

Journey to Ellis Island: How My Father Came to America by Carol Bierman, illustrated by Laurie McGaw, is the true story of the author's father who immigrated in 1922. It's written for older elementary or even middle school students and is full of personal stories and facts about Ellis Island, the people who passed through it, and the lives they led in America. The lovely illustrations are combined with reproductions of photographs. I put this in the book basket for the kids to look through. If I had read it aloud, I would have spread it over a few days.


Posts in This Series - I'll update this list with links to all the others after they post.
#1: Slavery and the Civil War
#2: Progressive Era and Immigration (this post)
#3: World War I, Women's Suffrage, and the 1920s
#4: The Great Depression and World War II
#5: Civil Rights, Hawai'i, Alaska, and Space Exploration

While First Son was in kindergarten, we read these books on Reconstruction, Urbanization, and Industrialization and these book on the Progressive Era. In addition, you can find links to all the picture books we read through American history in 2009-2010, when First Son was in kindergarten. 

Book Review: Unplanned

Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line

by Abby Johnson with Cindy Lambert

Abby Johnson was the Director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas, when she reached a crisis in her career and faith. Within a few days, she had quit her job and was volunteering with the Coalition for Life, praying outside the fence of her former employer. This book is her story, told in a clear and simple style. She shares some remarkable confessions which make it a powerful testimony.

This book was not written to explain her choices and convert her former friends and colleagues from Planned Parenthood; it is obviously written for those who are already pro-life, as a celebration of prayer and hopefulness. It's for the people who were praying in the 40 Days for Life campaigns across the country.

I found it fascinating because of the few times the author gave advice to her audience. She encouraged readers to be kind and considerate to those who are employed, volunteering, or visiting such clinics, showing how the prayers and compassion for the employees and the clinic's patrons shown by the pro-life advocates outsider her clinic were a powerful part of her own decisions.

I also appreciated her emphasis on the good and noble intentions of those who work at places like Planned Parenthood. I think recognizing the good of those with whom we disagree is always beneficial.

Abby Johnson was raised in a Christian home and felt loved and supported by her parents. Reading her story made me think carefully about how we speak to our children about pro-life issues. I want my daughters to come to us if they find themselves in any trouble and I want to give them the knowledge they need to recognize Truth and the way to love others and care for them as God would have us. That doesn't always mean making things seem easier.

The most powerful message of the book for me, though, is that of those who befriended her and loved her, even when they disagreed on the most important issues.

But the process of seeing previously close friends turn away from me because we now disagreed about the crucial issue of abortion reminds me of the very different brand of friendship I'm also seeing in action these days. I'm thinking of people like Elizabeth, Marilisa, some friends from church and even college days--people who befriended me and stood by me for years even though they did not agree with what I did at Planned Parenthood, even though they did not believe in abortion. Those people modeled for me something far deeper, far stronger than situational friendship: they loved and accepted me even when I was (or am) doing something they found morally objectionable. They didn't just talk about love--they put flesh on that concept.

I think this is an example of what can happen when we love like Pope Francis reminds us Jesus tells us to love. We love everyone, no matter their sins or what we think may be their sins. We love so they can experience the love of Christ. I know I've been on the receiving end of this kind of love and I can only try my best every day to give this kind of love to others.

If you're a pro-life Christian, especially if you're evangelical, you'll probably love this book. If you're not a Christian, you might become quite annoyed by the end.

Three Things by First Son

First Son and I are going through an old version of Stories With a View very slowly and mostly for fun. This is the poem he wrote last week (fourth grade) on three things that make him glad.

Good friends = happy person
Good food = happy stomach
Honey = happy throat

His descriptions leave a little be to desired, but he giggled the whole time.

Quote: The Idea of a University

Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman in the fourth discourse of The Idea of a University, in part seven:

We are not living in an age of wealth and loyalty, of pomp and stateliness, of time-honoured establishments, of pilgrimage and penance, of hermitages and convents in the wild, and of fervent populations supplying the want of education by love, and apprehending in form and symbol what they cannot read in books. Our rules and our rubrics have been altered now to meet the times, and hence an obsolete discipline may be a present heresy.

In part eight:

Many men there are, who, devoted to one particular subject of thought, and making its principles the measure of all things, become enemies to Revealed Religion before they know it, and, only as time proceeds, are aware of their own state of mind. These, if they are writers or lecturers, while in this state of unconscious or semi-concious unbelief, scatter infidel principles under the garb and colour of Christianity; and this, simply because they have made their own science, whatever is is, Political Economy, or Geology, or Astronomy, to the neglect of Theology, the centre of all truth, and view every part or the chief parts of knowledge as if developed from it, and to be tested and determined by its principles.

In part twelve:

I am not denying, I am granting, I am assuming, that there is reason and truth in the "leading ideas," as they are called, and "large views" of scientific men; I only say that, though they speak truth, they do not speak the whole truth; that they speak a narrow truth, and think it a broad truth; that their deductions must be compared with other truths, which are acknowledged to be truths, in order to verify, complete, and correct them. They say what is true, exceptis excipiendis; what is true, but requires guarding; true, but must not be ridden too hard, or made what is called a hobby; true, but not the measure of all things; true, but if thus inordinately, extravagantly, ruinously carried out, in spite of other sciences, in spite of Theology, sure to become but a great bubble, and to burst.

American History Picture Books in 2012-2013 Post 1 of 5: Slavery and the Civil War

Last year, when First Son was in third grade, we studied American History from slavery through modern times. I used a hodge-podge of books with First Son (based around what I could find at our local library). Because I have an insatiable love of picture books, I selected about one a week to read to the girls that was set in the same time period. For much of the year, First Son read these books to the girls for me. It was necessary because I was working much more than I had planned and while I was a little sad to miss out on the time with them, I think it forced him to pay attention to books that were still good for him and interesting which he might otherwise have ignored.

I'm going to break the year into a series of five posts because otherwise I think the number of books would be overwhelming. These are the picture books we read covering the time of slavery in America and the Civil War. We spent twelve weeks on this era.

First Son was in third grade, First Daughter was in kindergarten, Second Daughter was four and Second Son wasn't paying attention.

Priscilla and the Hollyhocks by Anne Broyles, illustrated by Anne Alter, is the story of a young slave with a Cherokee owner who joins the family on the Trail of Tears. Despite being a difficult topic for young children, this story focuses on finding a way to remain a "person" in slavery, seeking out the loveliness of creation, and a few people who blessed those who were suffering. It's a wonderful book.

Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, is a tale of Harriet Tubman when she was just a child. It's a rich look at her life as a slave child, masterfully illustrated by Mr. Pinkney. The harsh treatment by her masters is contrasted with the love and comfort she receives from her family. This is a great way to begin or continue a discussion of slavery with young children.

Follow the Drinking Gourd written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter is a popular choice for this subject. For those who are interested, the music and lyrics for the folk song are included in the back of the book. If I were reading it now, we'd listen to a version of the song on Spotify.

Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers written and illustrated by Karen B. Winnick is a fun tale of a young girl who wrote a letter to Abraham Lincoln, encouraging him to grow whiskers. It is based on a true story and is one of encouragement to all young girls. Most of all, it shows some of the generosity, warmth, and humor of President Lincoln.

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by James Ransome, is one of my favorite books, even if the idea of a quilt showing the way to freedom is a little unlikely. Clara is a slave taught to be a seamstress so she can work in the house rather than the fields. Working in the kitchen, she often hears stories of the fields and landmarks around and quilts together a map to freedom. James Ransome's illustrations are lovely as always. (Some nice member of PaperBackSwap.com sent me a copy signed by the illustrator.)

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, is a fantastic book. The lyrical text is perfectly combined with the glowing illustrations by Mr. Nelson. What I love most about this book is how the strength and courage of Harriet Tubman shine throughout the book.

Under the Quilt of Night by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by James E. Ransome, is the work of one of my favorite authors and one of my favorite illustrators. The text briefly tells of a group's journey from slavery to freedom in Canada along the underground railroad. The note at the end is helpful. The illustrations, of course, are wonderful.

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, was a favorite in our family. Though it does not shy away from the harsh realities of a slave's life (his wife and children are sold away from him), the idea of mailing yourself to freedom is ridiculous enough to startle and delight children. And it worked! Mr. Nelson's illustrations are as perfect as always.

A Place Called Freedom by Scott Russell Sanders, illustrated by Thomas B. Allen, is inspired by the true story of the founding of Lyles Station in Indiana. It's a sweet, simply story that emphasizes family, perseverance, and hard work. The families escape slavery but the focus is on how they create their own lives after they reach free soil. The illustrations are among my favorites.
 
The Silent Witness by Robin Friedman, illustrated by Claire A. Nivola, is such an interesting book. The McLean family was coincidentally involved both in the battle in Manassas and the final surrender in Appomattox. Lula's rag doll was present at the surrender and carried off by Colonel Moore. Though the events in the book are frightening (as was the Civil War), this is a "safe" story of a family's experience of the war because they always seem to escape real harm. Other than the kidnapping of the rag doll, which you can now see on display in Appomattox.

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco tells the story of two men of the Union army during the Civil War, one separated from his unit, the other running from his unit. A young white enlisted man learns the true reason for the war. There is so much sadness in this book. I finally did when First Son was in third grade and First Daughter was in kindergarten because the ending is so powerful. First Daughter was a little sad, but the uplifting ending was enough to overcome her sorrow. I still recommend parents read it first to make sure it would be appropriate.

The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale by Trinka Hakes Noble, illustrated by Robert Papp, is a beautifully illustrated book of a young bugler who follows his 16-year-old brother into the Civil War after receiving news that their two older brothers had been killed in the war. Gabe faces his first battle at Gettysburg. The book is full of details about daily army life at that time, for a bugler, and touches on just about every important topic in war. Gabe happens to meet a Confederate bugler in the woods and becomes friendly. In the battle, then, he faces the harsh reality of someone he knows on both sides of the battlefield, something not uncommon in the Civil War. This was a hard book to read aloud to my young children, but they were all enthralled. It's one worth sharing, especially with older children.

The Cemetery Keepers of Gettysburg by Linda Oatman High, illustrations by Laura Francesca Filippucci, is the tale of the family that cared for the cemetery at Gettysburg. It's an illuminating look at the battle from the point of view of bystanders in danger. Parts of it are frightening and distressing, so it's important to read it before sharing with young or sensitive children. This is based on a true story and one of the things I love about this book is the bravery of average people and very young people in the face of responsibility.

Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner, pictures by Don Bolognese, is one of my favorite books. It's an early chapter book (An I Can Read Level 3 book) in which a black man and his three sons move to Kansas (hooray for Kansas) to the free town of Nicodemus. Their mother died on the journey. They endure harsh weather and hunger. They are saved by the Osage Indians. Their father moves on to seek a better homes, leaving the three young boys (with neighbors near-by). They care for each other, support each other, and help each other on a 150 mile journey to join their father. It's amazing how much wonder, strength, courage, and familial love is packed in this short book, all based on true stories. The pictures are enjoyable, too.

A Band of Angels by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Raul Colon, is inspired by the true story of the Jubilee Singers at Fish School, which served former slaves. This was a wonderful story for the end of our unit, touching on the courage of freed slaves, the desire for an education, and their dedication to each other. You can also read about the Fisk Jubilee Singers on their website.

Though I didn't read it with my children, a new book I found at our library called Light in the Darkness: A Story about How Slaves Learned in Secret by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James Ransome would be a good one to include. It focuses on the great desire of some slaves to learn to read, risking capture and beatings to attend pit schools.

Posts in This Series - I'll update this list with links to all the others after they post.
#1: Slavery and the Civil War (this post)
#2: Progressive Era and Immigration
#3: World War I, Women's Suffrage, and the 1920s
#4: The Great Depression and World War II
#5: Civil Rights, Hawai'i, Alaska, and Space Exploration

You can find some more books on the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln on this post from First Son's kindergarten year. Here are links to all the picture books we read through American history that year (2009-2010). These are some of my favorite books and I'm excited to be planning a return to reading through American history in picture books as part of our American history studies next year.

February 2014 Book Reports

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart is the third book which wraps up the story line. I didn't like this book quite as much as the first two because of the introduction of ESP. I don't have a problem with ESP in a book in and of itself. At our house, it'll just be put into the same category as magic, unicorns, and other imaginary aspects of fairy tales and legends. I was disappointed because, up until that point in the story, as unlikely as the plot was, the children were using their own intelligence and skills to maneuver out of sticky situations. A particularly intelligent child who identified with the outcasts who bonded together in friendship through adversity would suddenly feel a lack of similarity to the main characters. So as I find again and again, the third book in a trilogy disappoints a little, but it was still enjoyable and still had wonderful moments of sacrifice, courage, and friendship. First Son will find it on his reading list for the summer after fourth grade. (library copy)

The Way of Holy Joy by Sofia Cavaletti (received as a gift)

How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish (purchased copy)

As You Like It (Shakespeare Made Easy) by William Shakespeare is the third play we're studying this year in fourth grade. The modern text in this book was quite explicit at times, so I would share it only with mature high schoolers, but it was fine for my purposes. This is certainly not my favorite Shakespearean play but I anticipate it'll be a fun one with which to end our year. (purchased copy)

Tomorrow, When the War Began (The Tomorrow Series #1) by John Marsden had great reviews online and I thought would be a good one to listen to while I exercised, when I couldn't quite give it my full attention and when I wanted a good story that would give me something to eagerly anticipate to encourage me. An invasion of Australia is completely unbelievable, but the idea of a group of rural Australian teenagers surviving and hindering the effort was not so much. Unfortunately, the book started out slowly and was bogged down by the main character's philosophizing. Frankly, I didn't think it was that well written and am a little surprised it remains as popular as it is. I've agreed to read the second in the series for a review site, but I'm not sure I can make it through all seven. (Playaway from the library)

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah is listed as an adaptation of the author's biography for young adults, but I feel like it might be better described as an abridgement. I kept feeling like I'd read it before because I had read Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter. The main theme of the book is the overcoming of child abuse and neglect so there are some hard scenes. There is also a often an overlay of fear during World War II and the advanced of armed Communists. I think this could be a good choice for more mature readers in middle grades or struggling readers in high school, those who are ready for more difficult topics and themes but not yet ready to tackle the adult biography. (I can't remember if there was any more violent or graphic descriptions of abuse in Falling Leaves, but I'm also of the opinion that high school students, especially those in later years, should be able to tackle difficult topics, especially when reading along with an adult. (library copy)

Hippos in the Night: Autobiographical Adventures in Africa by Christina M. Allen is the autobiographical account of a young biologist who travels with a group by van and bike through parts of Africa as part of an educational experience for school groups connecting with them regularly online. It's written at an easily readable level for children (perhaps third grade level) and has lots of interesting notes at the end of the book on the animals encountered. There were some nice parts on interactions with the people of the area, too, contrasting the modern world of the large cities there with the more nomadic and poorer peoples. It didn't seem too preachy, which was good, but it was sometimes simplistic. Overall, a fine book and one First Son will probably read next year, as recommended for the second year of Level 2 African studies at Mater Amabilis. (library copy)

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart (library copy)

Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo is the story of a young boy swept overboard on a trip sailing around the world with his parents. He awakes to find himself on an island, but he's not alone. The tale of the friendship that develops between the boy and the island's resident is poignantly written but still exciting. I'm looking forward to sharing this book with First Son who will either read it this summer (after fourth grade) or as one of his independent reading books next year. It should be pretty easy for him to read, but the themes of war (all in the past) and loss might be better for him now that he's older. (library copy)

Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant by Veronica Roth (library copies of Divergent and Insurgent, Allegiant purchased for the Kindle)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling (September 2013)
• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (February 2014)
• The Idea of a University by John Henry Cardinal Newman (February 2014)
• Victory on the Walls: A Story of Nehemiah by Frieda Clark Hyman (February 2014)
• The Black Stallion by Walter Farley (February 2014) 
• The Thieves of Ostia (The Roman Mysteries) by Caroline Lawrence (February 2014)
• The Gecko and Sticky: Villain's Lair by Wendelin Van Draanen (February 2014)

My Favorite Picture Books: Miss Moore Thought Otherwise

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children 

by Jan Pinborough, illustrated by Debby Atwell

This book is a biography of an important librarian in the early 1900s, Anne Carroll Moore, who was instrumental in changing how libraries served children. She also wielded her pen to write reviews of children's books, influencing not only what libraries purchased and provided for children, but what authors wrote and publishers published. Though she is not as well known as many other people in history, any child who can visit a lovely library can easily understand how her work directly influences his or her life today.

Miss Moore was not afraid to go against the common thoughts of her day, willing to "think otherwise" and act on it, but I feel like this is a nice quiet sort of revolt. I imagine her tilting her head to the side, considering her options, and then going ahead with her crazy ideas of comfy rooms, books children could check out, reading aloud to children, and providing puppets and other programs. She lived at a time when women were being beaten for trying to organize in labor unions and jailed for demanding the right to vote, but she also managed to change the world. She found something she loved and used her gifts to bring that love to as many children as possible.

The illustrations are absolutely lovely, so bright and colorful. My favorite illustration shows Miss Moore surrounded by joyous rays of light as she surveys New York City, which is displayed in all its beautiful glory. They show some of the excitement and giddiness of that era when anything seemed possible.

I have no doubt Miss Moore would have delighted to add this book to her library's collection.

Western History Picture Books in 2012-2013 (Years 1501-1700)

I recently posted a review of RC History's Connecting with History Volume Three. The first and second posts on the picture books I found to accompany our studies are here (for years 1070 to 1300) and here (for years 1301-1600). This is the final installment, for roughly years 1501 to 1700. (The units overlap a little in Connecting with History volume 3 in order to take into account the complexities of the Reformation and the exploration of the New World in addition to following the events in Europe.)

I've noted the books that were recommended by Connecting with History.

The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss written and illustrated by Sally Schofer Mathews tells the story of the last Aztec victory. It is a remarkably balanced book with elaborate illustrations reminiscent of Aztec codices. There are pages at the end that give more information about Mexico and Mexico City. This book touches on some difficult subjects like human sacrifice, the destruction of a culture, and slavery, so it might not be appropriate for very young children, but it is an excellent book for older elementary aged children.

Our Lady of Guadalupe by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by Tonya Engel, is a wonderful book of the apparitions of Mary to St. Juan Diego. The text and illustrations are appropriate to the time and the place. Really, it's one of the best books on Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego.

Yuki and the One Thousand Carriers by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Yan Nascimbene is one of my favorite picture books. In it, Yuki travels with her mother on a 300 mile journey to Edo in seventeenth or eighteenth century Japan. There's a wealth of information on Japanese culture at that time as well as haiku poetry. The illustrations are fantastic.

The Boy Who Held Back the Sea by Thomas Locker is another one of my favorite picture books. It tells the story of a young boy who spends a night alone and cold in order to keep a dike from failing. The illustrations are fantastic, even if the story itself is a little on the weak side. This book is available at RC History. Another option is The Hole in the Dike. The story is a little more believable, but the illustrations don't evoke the time period as well. My children enjoyed this version, too, though. 

Peter Claver, Patron Saint of Slaves/Pedro Claver, Santo Patrono de los Esclavos by Julia Durango is another one of my favorite picture books. It's the inspiring tale of a saint who devoted himself to serving slaves and seeking their freedom. It is available at RC History.

The links above to Amazon are affiliate links. The links to RC History in this post are not affiliate links (though I am an affiliate).