Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery, by Russell Freedman -- Day 23

As a role model for a life of inspiring service and courage in the face of adversity, Eleanor Roosevelt is unsurpassed. Russell Freedman, author of a number of astute and engaging biographies of notable Americans as well as social histories for young readers, received a Newbery Honor for his Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. Adults who know her as the supportive wife of President Franklin Roosevelt, a columnist, a relentless advocate for universal human rights and social justice, among her many endeavors, may not know how timid and lonely she was as a child. How did this little girl become one of the most outspoken and well-regarded women of her era, creating a legacy of activism and principle that still inspires us today? Through a splendid synthesis of resources accompanied by over 140 photographs, Freedman conveys the complexity of Roosevelt as a person and the time in which she lived. Ages 10 to adult. 

Younger readers will be inspired by the shorter narrative about this smart and compassionate woman, related in succinct quotes and compelling pictures, in Eleanor: Quiet No More, by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Gary Kelley. Ages 7-10.


Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net

Everglades, by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Wendell Minor -- Day 22

It is a joy when a book weds its text with pictures in a way that places the reader squarely in the middle of the story, and Jean Craighead George’s Everglades does just that. The book’s narrator, a Seminole Indian, conducts a group of children through Florida’s Everglades in a canoe, sharing all the while the history of this delicate ecosystem and his respect for its profuse beauty. Wendell Minor’s richly detailed paintings are their own kind of poetry, supporting the give and take of the narrator and the children’s voices reflecting concern for Lake Okeechobee. It is easy to experience this "living kaleidoscope of color and beauty" and become deeply, gently aware of our role as stewards of the environment. Ages 4-8.


Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net

Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls, by Tonya Bolden -- Day 21

In Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls, award-winning author Tonya Bolden has gathered in one handsome book the lives of a distinctive group of American men and women from the 18^th to the 20^th century – an entrepreneur, a spy, a combat pilot, a filmmaker, an architect, an economist and attorney, to name just a few of their professions. Vivid profiles of their lives and times are supplemented by fascinating original documents, artworks and photographs, leading readers on a unique journey through open and engaging pages. These are people who dared to dream and share their dream with others. Supplementary notes, a timeline and a list of additional books are included, providing even more depth to this rich history. Ages 10-14 and up.


Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!, by Grace Lin -- Day 20

Ling and Ting are used to being considered just the same by people they meet; after all, they are identical twins. But they are not the same, as readers discover in six delightful short chapters. One twin is quite…well, meticulous. The other…well, a bit forgetful. They like different things; even the dumplings they make are different. “Our dumplings do not look the same,” Ling says. “My dumplings are smooth. Your dumplings are fat.” “Yours are dump-Lings,” Ting says. “Mine are dump-Tings!” Nonetheless, the siblings’ affection for each shines through. Many of author and illustrator Grace Lin's wonderful books reflect her Chinese American heritage. In Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!, she captures, with her customary humor and perspicacity, the essence of alikeness and individuality in the first of several Ling and Ting adventures for new readers. Ages 4-8.


Related activities and interviews may be found at: TeachingBooks.net