Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans during World War II - ESSENTIAL

Sandler, Martin W. Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans during World War II, 167 p. 

Sandler brings a fresh, new, detailed look to the story of Japanese-Americans imprisoned in America during World War II.  Using a wealth of photographs, interviews and documents, Sandler breathes life into his subject, being just stark enough to convey the irony of the situation.  Each page is fascinating to read.  You probably already have books on this subject, but this one will engages readers of many different ages.  And the wealth of supplemental materials would also aide any teacher covering the subject, especially if they use a document camera to share.  

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Friends of Liberty by Beatrice Gormley - OPTIONAL

Gormley, Beatrice  Friends of Liberty, 182 pgs.  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2013.  $8.00 Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG. 

Sally Gifford, the daughter of a shoemaker, and Kitty Lawton, the daughter of a rich merchant, are best friends.  In order to show their commitment to each other, Kitty wants to exchange family heirlooms that were passed down from both of their dead mothers.  Without their fathers knowledge they exchange a gold ring and a pearl pendant, but it doesn’t stay secret for long and when their fathers find out it is just one more contention between the two neighbors.  The Giffords are Whigs and the Lawtons are Tories in the political unrest leading up to the Boston Tea Party and they cross paths in many ways that push Sally’s loyalty to her own family versus her loyalty to her friends. 

This is a very clean historical fiction that will help young readers visualize the colonies during 1773.  I thought the storyline was interesting and adventeresome, but I didn’t really care for the main character.  In her insecurities as a friend, she traded knowledge about her family that put them in danger-not once but twice.  It’s a safe book to put in an elementary and middle school library, but it doesn’t have the wow to keep most young readers attention. 

EL (4-6), MS-OPTIONAL.  Reveiwer, C. Peterson.

Gingersnap by Patricia Reilly Giff - OPTIONAL

Giff, Patricia Reilly Gingersnap, 149p.  Wendy Lamb Books, 2013.  $15.99. Content: G.

Jayna’s older brother Rob has been called up for duty during WWII, leaving her in the care of their fussy landlady.  Before he leaves, however, Rob tells Jayna about a little blue recipe book that found among their dead parents’ things.  After Rob is reported missing, Jayna decides to follow the clue of the recipe book to New York City and see if she can find and reunite with the woman in the picture, who she thinks may be her grandmother.  

Personally, I think the story as it stands would be more than enough.  There is a mysterious voice in Jayna’s head which tries to give her advice and comfort as she goes along.  I did not need that voice.  Not one bit.  It kind of ruined it for me.  If you can get past that layer of mysticism, then you’ll be fine.  Then it would just be a good WWII homefront story.  

EL – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg - ADVISABLE

Anderson, Tanya Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg, 87 p. Twenty-First Century (Lerner), 2013. $26.  Violence: PG (descriptions of battle wounds, bodies on battlefields).  

When the first shots were fired in the small town of Gettysburg, Tillie Pierce’s family sent her out of town with a neighbor for safety.  Instead, Tillie’s refuge ended up being in the middle of many of the fiercest battles during those few days.  Years later, Tillie wrote an account of what she saw, heard and experienced during those busy, dangerous days.  Anderson draws upon the source material to paint a human level picture of the battle, instead of one based upon the armies.  

I wish there was more Tillie in the book, though her presence is throughout.  I don’t know where I can acquire her book, but now I want to read it.  But Anderson weaves an interesting story that is very informative and simple to read.  I bookmarked the map showing an overview of the area so that I could refer to it throughout my reading.  We do so much with non-fiction around here, I know it will be a valuable asset.  

MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Fish for Jimmy by Katie Yamasaki - ESSENTIAL

Yamasaki, Katie Fish for Jimmy, PICTURE BOOK. Holiday House, 2013. $16.95. Content: G. 

Fish for Jimmy is based on a true story of a Japanese American family that was sent to an internment camp. Taro’s younger brother, Jimmy, refuses to eat at the camp. Taro tries to help Jimmy acclimate to the new surroundings and new food by sneaking out of camp to get fish in the nearby river. This brotherly act helps to make Jimmy feel more comfortable and he finally begins eating again. 

The artwork in this book was outstanding.  The story was a perfect combination of detail and narrative.  I was really impressed with how the book focused on the familial challenges of relocation, but still managed to highlight the impact of Japanese American internment.  There is an author’s note and photographs at the end of the book that help to tie the historical and narrative aspects of the book together.  This is a nice addition to support Common Core goals. 

EL- ESSENTIAL. Reviewed by: Shay, School Librarian

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood - OPTIONAL

Scattergood, Augusta  Glory Be, 199 pgs.  Scholastic Press, 2012.  $16.99  Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.  

Glory is the daughter of the local preacher and during the summer of 1964, living in the south brings with it a lot changes.  Glory is excited to celebrate her 12th birthday at the local swimming pool and is disappointed by the town council’s decision to close the pool to keep out the blacks.  She befriends a new girl whose mother is visiting her small Mississippi town as one of the Freedom workers, and her new friendship disrupts Glory’s old friendship with her best friend Frankie because his father is very prejudice.  Glory is also struggling with her sister Jesslyn, because Jessie is growing up and has found herself a boyfriend, so their sisterhood is changing.  Throughout the change in this short summer, Glory comes of age and stays true to what she believes and learns more about herself and those in her town.  

I’m torn about my review of this book because it had an interesting historical setting, but I didn’t love the main character.  I also felt like the historical parts of this book needed to be explained, it was assumed that the reader knew what was going on in Mississippi during this time in the Civil Rights Movement and I don’t think the young audience this book was directed towards would have that kind of knowledge base.  To me this book was almost good, it was almost really good, but it was missing the character development that would have made it great.  

EL (4-6), MS-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Jump into the Sky by Shelley Pearsall - OPTIONAL

Pearsall, Shelley Jump into the Sky, 337 pgs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Language - PG (26 swears, 0 "f"), Sexual Content - PG; Violence - PG; 

All his life, Levi's family has left without him. Levi's mother was the first to leave without looking back and his father is following her example, being gone for three years now. Now it's Levi's turn to leave--even if he has no idea where he's going. 

Being set during WWII, I thought I would know what was going on, but I learned so much that I didn't know about the 555th battalion. I also liked seeing things from Levi's unique point of view: a soldier's son in the army action. However, I didn't get as much of a thrill reading the story as the soldiers jumping into the sky. 

MS, HS - OPTIONAL. Reviewer: CCH

Come August, Come Freedom by Gigi Amateau - ESSENTIAL

Amateau, Gigi Come August, Come Freedom: the Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel, 231 pgs. Candlewick Press, 2012. $16.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature  Content: PG; Violence: PG.  

This is the true story of Gabriel Prosser, a man born into slavery in 1776 in Virginia.  He is brought up as a playmate to his master’s son.  Thus, he learns to read and write along with the white boy. As a young man, he is sent to Richmond with his brother to learn blacksmithing from Jacob Kent.  Because he is educated, he understands all the talk of liberty and what “all men are created equal” means.  His soul yearns to be free.  With the blessing of his strong wife, Nanny, he prepares to lead a rebellion against the white slave owners under the inspiration of Toussaint’s successful rebellion in Haiti. 

The title of the book leaves no surprise how his story ends. The man, Gabriel, becomes real with the skillful writing of Amateau. The book inspires one to learn more about the life of this obscure hero.  The author enriched this story by adding in real document s of this era pertaining to the slave, Gabriel. It would be a great read for any history class or for discussions on slavery, courage, injustice, treachery, etc. 

EL, MS, HS- ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: MOMMC.

Sophia’s War by Avi - ESSENTIAL

Avi Sophia’s War: A Tale of the Revolution, 300 p. Beach Lane (Simon), 2012.  $17.  Violence: PG.  

In 1776, as Sophia and her mother walk back to their New York City home, they witness the hanging of Nathan Hale, a sight that change’s Sophia, 12, permanently.  Over the course of the war her family is forced to house British officers, but the one who affects Sophia profoundly is the first, John Andre, who had a chance to help Sophia save her brother, but didn’t, because she is only a little girl, he says.  Later, when Sophia begins to actively spy for the rebels, she finds some information about John Andre that could change the course of the war and she knows that her personal oaths are binding, so she will do whatever it takes to bring him and his plots down.  

Loved it!  I could wish that there were a few more historical fiction books for kids with male main characters, but I can’t dispute Avi’s fine research and evocative writing!  

MS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

The Poppy Lady by Barbara Walsh - ADVISABLE

Walsh, Barbara Elizabeth The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans, paintings by Layne Johnson.  Calkins Creek (Boyds Mill), 2012.  $17.  PICTURE BOOK.  Content: G.  

I have always known that the red poppy is a symbol of the soldiers of WWI, in fact I have been to Flanders Fields and seen them blooming myself.  I did not, however, know that Moina Michael was inspired by McCrae’s poem – in fact she wrote small verse of her own and gifted silk poppies to soldiers leaving for the war.  After the war, she used the poppy to raise funds for veterans’ care.  There is a lot of information packed into this little book. But it is not so much that upper elementary students woudn’t enjoy reading about this national symbol.  

EL, MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Hound Dog True by Linda Urban –ADVISABLE

Urban, Linda Hound Dog True 160 pgs Harcourt Children's Book, 2011. $11.81.  (Rating: G)

Mattie and her mother move in with her Uncle Potluck. He is the janitor at the elementary school that Mattie is soon to start at. Mattie decides to write down all of his custodial tips in her new journal so she can be his apprentice. Mattie is worried about starting yet another school and is shy, so she worries when her mom pushes her to be friends with a neighbor girl that’s her age. But small steps, allow Mattie to move through her past experiences and find a new way to look at the future.  

I recommend this book for curriculum connection/literacy lessons. I think students reading this on their own will give up pretty quickly since the plot is slow moving and the main character Mattie might come across as pretty boring. But there are some powerful lessons here, and it’s a truly sweet story, also a unique cadence and voice -but it’s going to take guided instruction to bring those out. If nothing else add this book to your list of books to recommend to teachers.

Elementary – ADVISABLE Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate & Author.