AN AMERICAN PLAGUE: THE TRUE AND TERRIFYING STORY OF THE YELLOW
FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1793 (Newbery Honor Book) by Jim Murphy. Clarion, c 2003,
p.176.
CALL NUMBER: 614.54
SUBJECTS:
Yellow fever--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History--18th century-Juvenile literature.
SUMMARY: History, science, politics, and public health come together in this
dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that hit the
nation's capital more than 200 years ago. Drawing on firsthand
accounts, medical and non-medical, Murphy re-creates the fear and
panic in the infected city, the social conditions that caused the disease
to spread, and the arguments about causes and cures. With archival
prints, photos, contemporary newspaper facsimiles that include lists
of the dead, and full, chatty source notes, he tells of those who fled and
those who stayed--among them, the heroic group of free blacks who
nursed the ill and were later vilified for their work. Some readers may
skip the daily details of life in eighteenth-century Philadelphia; in fact,
the most interesting chapters discuss what is now known of the tiny
fever-carrying mosquito and the problems created by over-zealous
"unshakeable unease" chillingly close. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
REVIEWS: Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/An-American-Plague-TerrifyingEpidemic/dp/productdescription/0395776082/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
BOOKTALKS: "All was not right." Roaming the streets of Philadelphia was a killer,
invisibly latching onto its victims. Yellow Fever was its name. In 1793
it crippled the then nations Capitol. Many fled leaving behind those
that were too sick, weak or poor to leave themselves. Even the
President, George Washington, was afraid to enter the city. Discover
the medical beliefs of the time, the heroic efforts that many free black
residents played in their attempts to help nurse others back to health
and the role this epidemic had in changing our nation's law with
regard to calling Congress into session. Jim Murphy has presented just
one aspect of life in our early American history and has done so with
great research and detail. (Catherine Ryan,
[email protected] USC library school)
AUTHOR’S SITE:
http://www.jimmurphybooks.com/
READ ALIKES:
Outbreak! Plagues that Changed History by Bryn Barnard
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
A
LMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM by Tanya Lee
Stone. Candlewick, c 2009, p. 134. SUBJECTS:
Project Mercury (U.S.).—History
Women astronauts--United States—Biography
Women astronauts--United States--History--20th century
Sex discrimination against women--United States--History--20th
century
SUMMARY: Presents the story of the thirteen women connected with NASA's
Mercury 13 space mission, who braved prejudice and jealousy to
make their mark and open the door for the female pilots and space
commanders that would soon follow.
REVIEWS:
Space gals. Astronettes. Astrodolls . . . Who do these women think they
are? The media mocked them. Male astronauts did not want them, and
neither did then vice-president Lyndon Johnson. If they were to let
women into the space program, blacks and other minorities would be
next. Nearly 20 years before the U.S. officially admitted women into
the astronaut program, 13 women, known as the Mercury 13, fought
for the right to soar into space. This dramatic, large-size photo-essay
covers their stories, along with the exciting politics of the women's
liberation struggle in the 1950s and '60s ( What is a woman's place? )
and the breakthrough science and technology surrounding space
exploration, including details of the would-be astronauts' tests and
training. The chatty, immediate style ( Picture this ) and full-page
photos make for a fast read, and the crucial civil-rights history will
stay with readers. The long, spacious back matter is part of the story,
with detailed chapter notes and a bibliography.--Rochman, Hazel
Copyright 2009 Booklist
BOOK TALKS: Video Book Talk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjeGZOlNoRk
AUTHOR’S SITE: http://www.tanyastone.com/index.php?id=40
READ ALIKES:
Yankee Doodle Gals : Women Pilots Of World War II by Amy
Nathan
Amelia Lost : The Life And Disappearance Of Amelia Earhart by
Candace Fleming
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith.
LET ME PLAY: THE STORY OF TITLE IX: THE LAW THAT CHANGED THE
FUTURE OF GIRLS IN AMERICA by Karen Blumenthal. Atheneum Books for Young
Readers c 2005, p. 160. SUBJECTS:
Sex discrimination in sports--Law and legislation--United States.
Women athletes--Legal status, laws, etc.--United States.
SUMMARY: A revealing look at how Title IX changed the lives of American girls and
women, allowing them to participate equally in the male dominated world of sports.
REVIEWS: Gr. 6-9. As in Six Days in October (2002), a compelling overview of the
1929 stock market crash and a financial primer, Wall Street Journal editor
Blumenthal uses specific facts and fascinating personal stories to give readers a
wide view of history. Here, the author looks at American women's evolving rights by
focusing on the history and future of Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in U.S.
education. Profiles of groundbreaking female athletes and legislators deftly
alternate with highlights of the women's movement, from the early twentieth
century through today. The dull paper stock diminishes the many black-and-white
photos, but the images are still gripping, and relevant political cartoons and fact
boxes add further interest. Few books cover the last few decades of American
women's history with such clarity and detail, and this comprehensive title draws
attention to the hard-won battles, the struggles that remain, and the chilling
possibility that rights, if not fiercely protected, can easily be lost. --Gillian Engberg
Copyright 2005 Booklist
BOOK TALK:
Can girls play softball? Can girls be school crossing guards? Can girls play basketball or
ice hockey or soccer? Can girls become lawyers or doctors or engineers?
Of course they can … today. But just a few decades ago, opportunities for girls were far
more limited, not because they weren't capable of playing or didn't want to become
doctors or lawyers, but because they weren't allowed to. Then quietly, in 1972, something
momentous happened: Congress passed a law called “Title IX,” forever changing the lives
of American girls.
Hundreds of determined lawmakers, teachers, parents, and athletes carefully plotted to
ensure that the law was passed, protected, and enforced. Time and time again, they were
pushed back by fierce opposition. But as a result of their perseverance, millions of
American girls can now play sports. Young women make up half of the nation's medical
and law students, and star on the best basketball, soccer, and softball teams in the world.
This small law made a huge difference.
http://www.karenblumenthal.com/books/yngppl/bk_letmeplay.html
AUTHOR’S SITE:
http://www.karenblumenthal.com/
READ ALIKES:
Play Like A Girl : A Celebration Of Women In Sports edited by
Sue Macy and Jane Gottesman.
Wilma Unlimited : How Wilma Rudolph Became The World's
Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull ; illustrated by David Diaz.
OUTBREAK! Plagues that changed history by Bryn Barnard. Crown Publisher, c.
2006 p. 47.
CALL NUMBER: 614.49 Barnard
SUBJECTS:
Communicable diseases--History.
Diseases and history.
Epidemics--History.
SUMMARY: Did the Black Death destroy the feudal system? Did cholera pave the
way for modern Manhattan? Did yellow fever help end the slave
trade? Remarkably, the answer to all of these questions is yes. Time
and again, diseases have impacted the course of human history in
surprisingly powerful ways. From influenza to small pox, from
tuberculosis to yellow fever, Bryn Barnard describes the symptoms
and paths of the world’s worst diseases–and how the epidemics they
spawned have changed history forever.
REVIEWS:
School Library Journal
Grade 5-8–This well-written volume explores specific plagues that
have impacted society. Barnard begins with an introduction to
microbes and the positive and negative effects that they can have on
humans. A history of the study of microorganisms follows. The bulk of
the book then focuses on specific plagues with a chapter devoted to
each, including the Black Death, smallpox, yellow fever, cholera,
tuberculosis, and influenza. The final chapter discusses the modern
struggle against disease. A thorough glossary and a detailed list of
sources are included. The evocative paintings help to clarify the text.
Browsers and report writers alike will find this to be a fascinating and
Informative resource.–Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Library, UT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier
Inc. All rights reserved.
BOOK TALK: Every day we pick up the newspaper or turn on the news to hear
about another threat to our health. Be it West Nile virus or Eastern
Equine Encephalitis or Avian Flu, each is touted as being the next
major outbreak. What were some of the major outbreaks of the
past? And just how widespread were they? How did the pandemics
start? And what stopped them?
READ ALIKES: When Plague Strikes: the Black Death, smallpox, AIDS by James
Giblin
Code Orange by Caroline Cooney
Legend by Marie Wu
ACCIDENTS MAY HAPPEN by Charlotte Foltz Jones. Puffin, c 1999, p.114.
CALL NUMBER: 609 Jones
SUBJECTS:
Discoveries in science.
History, Modern--Miscellanea.
Technological innovations.
SUMMARY: From Wheaties to telephones, microwave ovens to yo-yos, here are
the inspiring and often funny stories of 50 mistakes and
misunderstandings that helped bring about life as we know it. With
hilarious cartoons and wacky facts, this fascinating compendium
illustrates the adage "If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no
sense making them.
REVIEWS:
In this interesting and informative presentation, readers learn
that scientific discoveries and inventions are not always the fruits of
formal investigation. They are often the result of quirky and silly
mishaps or misunderstandings. As in their book Mistakes That
Worked (Doubleday, 1994), this author and illustrator team looks at
"accidents" that had such fortuitous outcomes as ice-cream sodas,
Worcestershire sauce, the yo-yo, cellophane, liquid paper, and
dynamite. Jam-packed with stories, facts, and black-and-white
cartoons, this is a well-conceived introduction to science that will
pique the interest of young readers.
Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA Copyright
1998 School Library Journal Reviews SLJ Reviews 1996 June
BOOK TALK: Have you ever wondered if you could come up with an idea that could
change the world? Or have you ever made a mistake that turned out
to be better than if you had planned it? Some of the most useful
inventions were discovered in error, not in a lab!
(Chose one of the inventions to read aloud that you find interesting)
READ ALIKES:
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle by Don L. Wulffson
Ideas That Changed The World by Julie Ferris
George’s Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy Hawking
ALIENS by Jacqueline Mitton. Candlewick, c 1999, p. 92.
CALL NUMBER: 576.83 Mitton
SUBJECT:
Extraterrestrial beings.
Life on other planets.
Unidentified flying objects.
SUMMARY: Explores the possibility of life on other planets, covering such topics
as our exploration of space, reports of UFO sightings and alien
abductions, and famous extraterrestrials from movies and television.
REVIEWS:
This spiral-bound browser's delight is printed on stiff-coated stock
and arranged in tabbed sections. The book opens with an issue of
"UFOs: The Magazine with All the Answers," presents readers with an
entrance exam for Space Cadet School, summarizes our efforts to send
and receive extraterrestrial communications, and closes with a casting
giant Bugs of 1997's Starship Troopers. Tucked around the sheaves of
small color photos, cartoons, and detailed paintings, the well-leaded
text adds more than a veneer of information. The authors (skeptically)
recount several UFO sightings, explain why life elsewhere in our solar
system is unlikely but may exist around other stars, and describe the
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) in some detail. Though
it won't survive a great deal of handling, this inviting mix of hype and
hypotheses will draw readers like a magnet.-John Peters, New York
Public Library Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information. SLJ
Reviews 1999 July
BOOK TALK: What’s your favorite movie with aliens? We have any number of
books about kids encountering aliens in the form of their teachers (My
Teacher Is An Alien by Bruce Coville) to parents (The Angel
Factory by Terence Blacker) but have you ever wondered if they could
really exist? Flip through this quick read and see what you believe!
READ ALIKES:
True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
Galax-Arena by Gillian Rubinstein
Parasite Pig by William Sleator
WE WERE THERE, TOO! : YOUNG PEOPLE IN U.S. HISTORY by Phillip Hoose. Farrar Straus
Giroux, c. 2001, p. 264.
CALL NUMBER: 973 Hoose
SUBJECT: Children--Biography.
Youth--Biography.
United States--History.
SUMMARY: Biographies of dozens of young people who made a mark in American history,
including explorers, planters, spies, cowpunchers, sweatshop workers, and civil rights
workers.
REVIEWS: *Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. In his book, It's Our World Too! Stories of Young People
Who Are Making a Difference (1993), Hoose touched upon some of history's young "orphans,"
among them, the "newsies" who formed a union against the Hearst and Pulitzer papers. Here,
Hoose gives those children voice bringing them front and center, along with many other
young people who helped shape our country. Using mostly primary sources--journals, diaries,
interviews--he takes readers on a ride through American history, starting at the very
beginning: he introduces the cabin boys who sailed with Columbus and the young Taino
Indians who greeted them. More than 60 young people of all races and religions are profiled:
Phillis Wheatley, a slave and poet; Sybil Ludington, who outrode Paul Revere to warn the
colonists about the British; Bill Cody, later Buffalo Bill, who as a young teen rode for the Pony
Express. There are other famous names, too--Pocahontas, Cesar Chavez, Bill Gates--but most
are young people who made their mark, then faded from memory. This attractive book
reintroduces them. Black-and-white photos, maps, and memorabilia illustrate the text; and
sidebars add information about everything from baseball to the reasons the Mormons went to
Salt Lake. The only disappointment is the sourcing. Books are listed for each chapter with
asterisks designating those appropriate for children, but that hardly seems enough. What's
needed are more specifics about where the information and quotations came from. Teachers
will find numerous ways to use each profile, but children will just enjoy flipping through the
pages; they'll find themselves touched in many ways. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
BOOK TALKS: “Shoot me if you dare. I will not tell you.”
–Dicey Langston, age fifteen, to a
gun-pointing loyalist in 1780, who demands she reveal a patriot secret.
This unique book is the first to tell the story of the role young people have played in the
making of our nation. It brings to life their contributions throughout American history–from
the boys who sailed with Columbus to today’s young activists. Based largely on primary
sources–first-person accounts, journals, and interviews–it highlights the fascinating stories of
more than seventy young people from diverse cultures.
Meet Olaudah Equiano, kidnapped from his village in western Africa and forced to endure a
terrifying voyage into slavery; Rebecca Bates, who with her sister plays the fife and drum that
scare off British soldiers during the War of 1812; and Anyokah, who helps her father create a
written Cherokee language. Descend into the darkness of a Pennsylvania coal mine with nine-
year-old Joseph Miliauskas for a ten-hour day that leaves his fingers bloody; read Carolyn
McKinstry’s account of being hosed by police during the 1963 Birmingham civil rights march;
and join Jessica Govea, who, as a teenager, worked side by side with Cesar Chavez to organize
migrant farm workers.-From author’s website
AUTHOR WEBSITE: http://philliphoose.com/ There are three audio interviews with the
Author about this book on the book’s page.
READ ALIKES: Kids With Courage: True Stories About Young People Making a Difference
by Barbara Lewis
Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo
by Zlata Filipovic
Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen
THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST by Sy Montgomery. Houghton Mifflin, c. 2004, p. 80.
CALL NUMBER:
SUBJECT:
595.44 Montgomery
Arachnologists.
Scientists.
Spiders.
Tarantulas.
SUMMARY: Describes the research that Samuel Marshall and his students are
doing on tarantulas, including the largest spider on earth, the Goliath
birdeating tarantula.
REVIEWS:
Montgomery and Bishop, who worked together on Snake
Scientist (1999), team up once again to deliver another fascinating
slice of the natural world. This time they venture to the French Guiana
rain forest, where they follow arachnologist Sam Marshall on his quest
for his favorite quarry: tarantulas. Enthusiasm for the subject and
respect for both Marshall and his eight-legged subjects come through
on every page of the clear, informative, and even occasionally
humorous text. Bishop's full-color photos, which concentrate on
detail, not scale, are amazing--Marshall coaxing an elusive tarantula
into the open or bringing readers literally face-to-face with a hairy
spider. The section on students' research seems tacked on, but it adds
an interesting sidelight to the book, which is longer and richer in both
text and illustrations than others in the Scientists in the Field series.
Readers will come away armed with facts about spiders in general
and tarantulas in particular, but even more important, they'll have a
clear understanding of how the answers derived from research
become the roots of new, intriguing questions. --Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright 2004 Booklist
BOOKTALKS: Meet arachnologist Sam Marshall as he explores the floor of the
rainforest of French Guiana in South America, studying the habits and
habitat of the Goliath birdeater tarantula, the world’s largest spider.
Marshall was an indifferent student at Bard College until he found his
passion, researching the habits and behavior of tarantulas. He says,
"Scientific research is just a way of asking a question and answering it.
That was the thing that totally changed my life." Now he works at the
largest comparative spider laboratory in the U.S., which he founded, at
Hiram College in Ohio. This Sibert Honor winner (silver medal) for
distinguished informational books, part of the exemplary Scientists in
the Field series, highlights an enthusiastic and articulate expert in his
field. The book abounds with Nic Bishop’s splendid life-sized color
photographs that reveal and revel in the majesty of tropical
tarantulas, which scientists also call hairy mygalomorphs. How much
do you know about them? Here are just a few facts you’ll glean from
the book. True or false?:
1. People can die from a tarantula's bite.
2. Tarantulas smell with their feet.
3. Tarantulas can regrow lost legs.
4. Tarantulas live for 4 years.
ANSWERS:
1. False. No one has ever died from one. 2. True.
3. True.
4. False. Some can live for 30.
For some spectacular color photos of many types of tarantulas, go to
the American Tarantula Society website at http://atshq.org/gallery.
Abridged from http://www.readkiddoread.com/book/142
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
READ ALIKES:
http://symontgomery.com
Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud
Forest of New Guinea
by Sy Montgomery
The Snake Scientist by Sy Montgomery
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of
Shackeleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong. Crown Books for Young, c.
1998, p. 120.
CALL NUMBER:
SUBJECTS:
919.89 Armstrong
Shackleton, Ernest Henry, Sir, 1874-1922.
Endurance (Ship).
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917).
SUMMARY: Describes the events of the 1914 Shackleton Antarctic expedition
when, after being trapped in a frozen sea for nine months, their ship,
Endurance, was finally crushed, forcing Shackleton and his men to
make a very long and perilous journey across ice and stormy seas to
reach inhabited land.
REVIEWS:
Filled with intriguing details and written with dramatic style, this
riveting account of the ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
reads like an adventure novel. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton
attempted to be the first explorer to cross Antarctica by foot "from sea
to sea." On the eve of World War I, he set out with a crew of scientists
and sailors on a specially designed ship, Endurance, but he and his
team never reached their objective. The ship became entrapped in ice,
and the men were forced to abandon their mission and try to survive
in the brutally harsh Antarctic wasteland for 19 months. Thanks to
Shackleton's leadership, the bravery of his crew, and a lot of luck,
everyone survived. The astonishing circumstances of their ordeal
include a treacherous hike across miles of frozen wasteland, an 800mile open-boat journey through savage seas, and a perilous trek
across the uncharted mountain ranges of South Georgia Island.
Armstrong brings all of these experiences vividly to life, frequently
using quotes from members of the expedition. Excellent black-andwhite photographs taken during the journey document the entire
adventure story. Elizabeth Cody Kimmel's Ice Story (Clarion, 1999)
has larger and more plentiful photographs but Armstrong's text is far
more engaging. Kimmel relates all of the facts skillfully, but Armstrong
crafts them into an unforgettable story of true heroism and the
triumph of the human spirit. A book that will capture the attention
and imagination of any reader.-Edward Sullivan, New York Public
Library
BOOK TALKS: In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 men sailed from England
in an attempt to become the first team of explorers to cross
Antarctica from one side to the other. Five months later and still 100
miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. The
expedition survived another five months camping on ice floes,
followed by a perilous journey through stormy seas to remote and
unvisited Elephant Island. In a dramatic climax to this amazing
survival story, Shackleton and five others navigated 800 miles of
treacherous open ocean in a 20-foot boat to fetch a rescue ship.
From www.amazon.com
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
READ ALIKES:
http://www.jennifer-armstrong.com
The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party by Marian Calabro
Triumph on Everest : a photobiography of Sir Edmund Hillary
by Broughton Coburn
Peak by Roland Smith