Balloons Over Broadway

Sweet, M.  (2011).  Balloons over Broadway:  The true story of the puppeteer of Macy's parade.  NY: Houghton.

Tony Sarg, originally maker of marionettes, is the reason why we have been enjoying balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for more than eighty years.  Tony made his first marionette when he was six years old.  As an adult, he went to work for Macy's with his dancing marionettes in their store windows.  Then, they gave him his biggest project of all:  marionettes for a parade.  Tony turned his marionettes into balloons and the rest is history!

Balloons Over Broadway tells the story of how Tony Sarg turned his marionettes into the balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The book’s colorful pictures will draw in readers to this informational book.  It begins with a black and white photograph of Sarg so the readers know that the book is about a real person despite the fun drawings. The illustrations switch from being full page, to being five to a page (like being glued on), to being vertical, and to going across two pages. Some of the text looks like letters cut out of a magazine.   The best part is the back page which is the original advertisement from the 1933 New York Times.  All of this makes up a wonderful design that captivates its readers! 

Lesson Plans:

http://islma.org/pdf/2014MonarchAwardMasterList/Balloons_over_Broadway.pdf

It's Perfectly Normal

Harris, R. (2014).  It's perfectly normal:  Changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health. Boston, MA:  Candlewick Press.

This book covers everything about sex you need to discuss with your child about puberty, reproduction, birth control, pregnancy, STDS, and more.  The pictures are very detailed but are in comic form so nobody should be too embarrassed. Its easy to read so kids will be able to understand the important information.

Nic Bishop, author and photographer, of Spiders, has created a fascinating book about many different kinds of spiders and their amazing skills.  Bishop traveled to the rain forests of French Guiana and Costa Rica to find spiders.  Also, to insure accuracy, he has kept spiders at his house so he could watch egg laying and molting.  Because Bishop is willing to travel and take great lengths to photograph his subjects, the readers can be assured that the information is accurate.  

Rosa

Giovanni, N. (2005).  Rosa.  NY: Holt.

This informational book about the civil rights leader Rosa Parks is one that has not been told before.  We meet Rosa at her kitchen table on that deciding day when she would not give up her seat to a white man on the bus.  This story tells how a well-respected seamstress, Rosa Parks, and her twenty-five women supporters belonging to the Women's Political Council led the charge to change for equality.

Rosa is a beautifully written book about Rosa Parks.  It gives insight into what her day was like before she refused to give up her seat to a white man on the bus.  One can see Giovanni’s passion as she describes Rosa as a woman.  Rosa Parks was a well-respected seamstress, cared for her family, and that night she was planning a nice meatloaf dinner.  Bryan Collier’s illustrations are a perfect complement for Giovanni’s beautifully written story of Parks leading the country in wanting equality.

Lesson Plans:

http://www.learningtogive.org/units/heroes-and-their-impact/rosa-parks

Primates

Ottaviani, J. (2013). Primates. NY:  FirstSecond.

The graphic novel gives an account into the lives of three women scientists: Jane Goodall, Dian fossey, and Birute Galdikas.  The fieldwork of these three women is described as Dian saves gorillas, Birute studies orangutans, and Goodall researches chimpanzees. The details of the research, the excitement of new discovery, and the passion of these women for primates is shown in comic form

Jim Ottaviani has created a biography about three women scientists Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas that all children will want to read.  The graphic novel format makes the reading appealing to a large group of readers.  This story is divided into three sections for each woman as they study chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.  The pictures are colorful and the text is fun and informational.

Lesson Plans:

http://www.neprimateconservancy.org/k-4-unit-1---lesson-2.html

Me...Jane

McDonnell, P.  (2011).  Me...jane.  NY:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

This is the story of Dr. Jane Goodall as a little girl.  When Jane was a little girl she loved had a stuffed chimpanzee, she loved nature, and she was curious about the world around her.  Jane dreamed of growing up and going to Africa.  Jane's dream came true.  Now, Jane Goodall wants others to live their dreams and help others.  She facilitates this with her organization called Roots and Shoots.  This is a must read, inspirational book for all.

This is an inspiring story of Jane Goodall as a little girl.  It tells of he stuffed chimp, her love of nature, and her dream of going to Africa.  The style of the book is charming and the pictures are simple and inviting.  At the end, we see a photo of Jane Goodall and learn that Jane’s dream did come true.  

Activities:

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/patrickmcdonnell/activities.html

Spiders

Bishop, N. (2007).  Spiders. NY: Scholastic.

Author and photographer, Nic Bishop, has created an amazing book amazing informational book about spiders.  Readers will enjoy reading from cover to cover or reading the highlighted text.  Bishop teaches his readers about some unusual spiders such as a Goliath bird eating tarantula and a huntsman spider.  The photographs are as educational and as fun as the text!

Nic Bishop, author and photographer, of Spiders, has created a fascinating book about many different kinds of spiders and their amazing skills.  Bishop traveled to the rain forests of French Guiana and Costa Rica to find spiders.  Also, to insure accuracy, he has kept spiders at his house so he could watch egg laying and molting.  Because Bishop is willing to travel and take great lengths to photograph his subjects, the readers can be assured that the information is accurate. 

Lesson Plans:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/interview-with-the-spider.shtml 

The Paperbag Princess

Munsch, R.  (2012).  The paperbag princess.  NY:  Annick Press.

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Ronald were to marry when a fire-breathing dragon took Ronald away.  Elizabeth dressed in a paper bag went to find her prince.  She followed the dragon's fiery trail.  When she found the dragon, she tricked the dragon until he was too tired to breathe fire at her.  When she went to rescue Ronald, he looked at her paper bag dress and dirty hair, he did not want to marry her anymore.  She learned an important lesson:  It is what is on the inside that counts!

The theme of The Paper Bag Princess is that it matters what kind of person you are, not what you look like or what clothes you wear.

Lesson Plans:

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/the-paper-bag-princess/