Kid Konnection: Waiting for Pumpsie

Every weekend, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekly feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a picture book biography that's tells a very important story.

Summary: "Change is coming real soon." In 1959 the Boston Red Sox was the last team in the Major Leagues to integrate. But when they call Elijah "Pumpsie" Green up from the minors, Bernard is overjoyed to see a black player on his beloved home team. And, when Pumpsie's first home game is scheduled, Bernard and his family head to Fenway Park. Bernard is proud of Pumpsie and hopeful that this historic event is the start of great change in America.

This fictionalized account captures the true story of baseball player Pumpsie Green's rise to the major leagues. The story is a snapshot of the Civil Rights Movement and a great discussion starter about the state of race relations in the United States today. -- Charlesbridge

WAITING FOR PUMPSIE by Barry Wittenstein and illustrated by  London Ladd received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and it's no wonder why. This picture book aimed at ages five to eight tells the story of Pumpsie Green, the first black baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, through the eyes of a young black fan.

Like many kids growing up in Boston, Bernard is a super big Red Sox fan; however, he wonders why they do not have an African American player for them like other Major Leagues teams do. He has grown up rooting for the black players on other teams, even when it's not always easy, but he really wants his home town favorite to have a black player. His parents tell him that change is coming, but he's still doubtful that it will ever happen. When the 1959 Boston Red Sox finally call up Pumpsie Green from the minor league, Bernard is thrilled... and it's even better when his father surprises him with tickets to the game!

I loved WAITING FOR PUMPSIE! It's a beautifully illustrated picture book that teaches young children about the important topic of integration. Not only is this book extremely educational from a historical perspective, but I love that it personalizes just how much this meant to African Americans at this time. In addition, it teaches readers that this transition wasn't easy for our country and many people (unfortunately) weren't accepting of these players.

By telling the story through the eyes of Bernard, I think it personalizes the story for children. It's probably hard for some children to believe that baseball used to be this way, and I think WAITING FOR PUMPSIE shows just how far our country has come... and how far it still has to go.

Another special thing about WAITING FOR PUMPSIE is that the publisher has an excellent curriculum guide available. This guide provides discussion questions with common core standards as well as activity suggestions, a cause and effect analysis worksheet, a making connections worksheet, and a timeline of events worksheet.

WAITING FOR PUMPSIE is an outstanding book that should be in every school and public library. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Review: From the Corner of the Oval

Summary: In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein is working five part-time jobs and just scraping by when a posting on Craigslist lands her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama’s stenographers. The ultimate D.C. outsider, she joins the elite team who accompany the president wherever he goes, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forges friendships with a dynamic group of fellow travelers—young men and women who, like her, leave their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president.

As she learns to navigate White House protocols and more than once runs afoul of the hierarchy, Beck becomes romantically entangled with a consummate D.C. insider, and suddenly the political becomes all too personal.

Against the backdrop of glamour, drama, and intrigue, this is the story of a young woman making unlikely friendships, getting her heart broken, learning what truly matters, and, in the process, discovering her voice. -- Speigel & Grau

Over the past few years, I've become a bit of a political junkie. I turn on cable news every morning as soon as I wake up, and I usually fall asleep to the same station at the end of the day. So when I saw Beck Dorey-Stein, author of the new memoir FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL, doing rounds on television promoting her book about working as stenographer in the Obama administration, I knew I had to read it!

FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL tells the story of Beck Dorey-Stein, a recent college graduation who is working multiple jobs just to pay her rent in DC. When she applies for a position listed on Craigslist, she has absolutely no idea that it's for a job to work as a stenographer for Obama. (Isn't that incredible?) She winds up being part of a very prestigious team that travels everywhere with the President's entourage, and her story about what she experiences are fantastic.

Initially, I thought this book would be more of a tell-all about scenes behind the White House and the players in the Obama administration. And to a certain extent, it was... in a good way, not a scandalous one. Ms. Dorey-Stein definitely captured the essence of staff and the urgency of their work; and it was interesting to see how they all truly believed in the causes that they were pursuing for our country.

And while I enjoyed the inside look at Obama, his staff, and their travels, especially the little stories about her encounters with the president, I think the strength of this book was Ms. Dorey-Stein's revelations about herself and her personal life. She ended up having a relationship with one of Obama's closest aides, and it was at times ugly. Needless to say, it didn't end well for her.

In fact, I found the author's honesty to be refreshing, although I did want to shake her more than once for going back to this dog over and over again. Her revelations about her boyfriends (and her fling) were "no holds barred," and she had way of telling the stories about her love life that definitely kept things interesting. (Think really smart chick lit but true!) There were times when I just wanted to give this young woman a hug and tell her that things will eventually work out for her, although I had a feeling that she was smart enough to figure things out on her own.

In many ways, FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL was a coming-of-age tale. I so enjoyed following Ms. Dorey-Stein's male and female friendships (she was so fortunate!) and how she navigated the politics of her office. However, this book was also a coming-of-age story about how the author became a writer. She knew she always wanted to write, and she constantly kept journals about her experiences (which sure came in handy!); however, breaking through to becoming a published writer is a tough road. Ms. Dorey-Stein certainly has a way with words, and I look forward to seeing what's in store for her in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL and recommend it to fans of memoirs, but also readers who are interested in politics and enjoy smart coming-of-age stories!

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher.

Review: Al Capone His Life, Legacy, and Legend

Summary: From a National Book Award-winning biographer, the first complete life of legendary gangster Al Capone to be produced with the cooperation of his family, who provided the author with exclusive access to personal testimony and archival documents.

From his heyday to the present moment, Al Capone—Public Enemy Number One—has gripped popular imagination. Rising from humble Brooklyn roots, Capone went on to become the most infamous gangster in American history. At the height of Prohibition, his multimillion-dollar Chicago bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling operation dominated the organized-crime scene. His competition with rival gangs was brutally violent, a long-running war that crested with the shocking St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929. Law enforcement and the media elite seemed powerless to stop the growth of his empire. And then the fall: a legal noose tightened by the FBI, a conviction on tax evasion, Alcatraz. After his release he returned to his family in Miami a much diminished man, living quietly until the ravages of his neurosyphilis took their final toll. But the slick mobster persona endures, immortalized in countless novels and movies.

The true flesh-and-blood man behind the legend has long remained a mystery. Unscrupulous newspaper accounts and Capone’s own tall tales perpetuated his mystique, but through dogged research Deirdre Bair debunks the most outrageous of these myths. With the help of Capone’s descendants, she discovers his essential humanity, uncovering a complex character that was flawed and sometimes cruel but also capable of nobility. And while revealing the private Al Capone, a genuine family man as remembered by those who knew him best, Bair relates how his descendants have borne his weighty legacy.

Rigorous and intimate, Al Capone provides new answers to the enduring questions about this fascinating figure, who was equal parts charismatic gangster, devoted patriarch, and calculating monster. -- Nan A. Talese

Since I've been a kid, I've always had a strange attraction to the mob. As a high schooler, I read every book about gangsters that I could get my hands on, and I saw every movie that I was allowed to see. There still is a bit of me that's drawn to stories about larger than life criminals. That probably explains why I wanted to read the new book AL CAPONE: HIS LIFE, LEGACY, AND LEGEND by Deirdre Bair.

AL CAPONE: HIS LIFE, LEGACY, AND LEGEND obviously tells the story of the notorious gangster Al Capone. It begins with his childhood story in Brooklyn and follows him to his financially successful operation in Chicago during Prohibition. It then follows his equally amazing downfall by the FBI on a tax evasion conviction of all things. Things just got worse for Capone when he left prison and returned to Miami with his family as syphilis took over his brain.

I'm pretty sure that I've read at least one book about Al Capone prior to this one because many of the stories were familiar; however, AL CAPONE: HIS LIFE, LEGACY, AND LEGEND also managed to surprise me. This book didn't really rehash all of those larger-than-life actions by Public Enemy Number One (although they are definitely mentioned and often times debunked!) Rather, it tried to provide information to readers about the man behind horrific crimes -- the family man and father that his family remembers. I commend the author for doing something new with Capone's story, and I definitely appreciated this book.

AL CAPONE: HIS LIFE, LEGACY, AND LEGEND was written by a National Book Award-winning biographer, Deirdre Bair, and had the approval of Capone's family. As a result, Ms. Bair had access to a lot of information that no other Capone biographer ever had. I thought that sounded terrific because I wanted new insight into his life. And for the most part, it was interesting. However (and I realize this is entirely my issue!), I was a little disappointed to learn that much of the myth surrounding Capone wasn't true. WHAT???? It seems that journalists in those days liked to break "stories" and sell papers too. Imagine that?

All in all, I found AL CAPONE: HIS LIFE, LEGACY, AND LEGEND to be a very intriguing book about a very interesting character in America's history. Highly recommended to fans of biographies.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.
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Kid Konnection: I am Jim Henson

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a new picture book in an already fantastic series!

Summary: We can all be heroes. That’s the inspiring message of this New York Times bestselling picture book biography series from historian and author Brad Meltzer. This volume focuses on Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets and Sesame Street.

This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great–the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Jim Henson, for example, was always dreaming up something new, and always expressing his belief in the goodness of people. Henson was a born performer with a terrific sense of humor, and he used those talents to help create two of the most beloved programs in television history: The Muppet Show and Sesame Street. Through his Muppets, Jim showed the world that there’s nothing more beautiful than imagination, especially when it’s accompanied by laughter and kindness.

Each book in this series tells the story of one inspiring individual through lively text and art that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. -- Dial

I am so excited to share with you the latest book in Brad Meltzer's "Ordinary People Change the World" series -- I AM JIM HENSON! I absolutely adored the other books that I've read in this series, and this one holds a near and dear place in my heart because it's about Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets and Sesame Street. I am a huge fan of both the Muppets and Sesame Street, and many of my fondest childhood television memories are centered around these characters.

I AM JIM HENSON is an outstanding book -- there is no other word for it. This picture book, aimed at ages 5 - 8 (and of course 47 year olds too!), tells the story of Jim Henson's life... in his words. The book explains how Mr. Henson developed his imagination, his sense of humor, and his love of movies and costumes. It also shows the important role his grandparents played in his life and how his grandma encouraged him to tell stories.

I AM JIM HENSON also details how Mr. Henson discovered that he wanted to work in television -- there's a great lesson about persistence here. Readers will also get a glimpse into the creation of Kermit the Frog (Hint: Mr. Henson made him from his mother's old wool coat!) as well as the origins of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

I love every single thing about this book -- from the story, to the cartoon bubbles, to the photos; however, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you just how adorable the illustrations are.  Christopher Eliopoulos is the illustrator for all of the books in the "Ordinary People Change the World" series, and I love his work. This book has the most adorable little Jim Henson. He's actually looks like his full bearded adult self even when he's a little kid. And I thought Mr. Eliopoulos did an excellent job in drawing all of the Muppets.

But here's what made I AM JIM HENSON extra special to me...  the overall messages in this book. Of course, we all know that Mr. Henson was an amazing creator; however, he also had a beautiful life philosophy. He believed that there is good in all of us, no matter how different we might seem. He also challenged individuals to create something new, share what you love, and find others with the same dreams. We could all use a bit more of Mr. Henson in our lives, right?

I AM JIM HENSON is my new favorite picture book, and Mr. Meltzer's "Ordinary People Change the World" series is one of my all-time favorite series. I love how these books teach kids that it's perfectly normal to have dreams, be successful, and be a good person. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Review: I am Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a terrific kids book by a best-selling author.

Summary: We can all be heroes. That’s the inspiring message of this New York Times Bestselling picture book biography series from historian and author Brad Meltzer.

Even as a child, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shocked by the terrible and unfair way African-American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it—peacefully, with powerful words. He helped gather people together for nonviolent protests and marches, and he always spoke up about loving other human beings and doing what’s right. He spoke about the dream of a kinder future, and bravely led the way toward racial equality in America.

This lively, New York Times Bestselling biography series inspires kids to dream big, one great role model at a time. You’ll want to collect each book. -- Dial

I already have a pretty high opinion of bestselling author Brad Meltzer. I love his thrillers and his nonfiction gift books HEROES FOR MY SON and HEROES FOR MY DAUGHTER are extremely special (and important) books. Now, he's started a collection of picture books for the younger set called Ordinary People Change the World, and I've only read two of them but I think Mr. Meltzer is becoming one of my favorite children's authors too!

His latest picture book that was released just this week is titled I AM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR, and the timing is absolutely perfect because Martin Luther King, Jr. day is just nine days away. This book is truly something special! It doesn't hurt when you have a hero and great American as your subject matter, but the presentation makes this book even better.

The book is written in MLK's first person voice with cute speech bubbles, and I think it makes the story all that more interesting for kids. In addition, the story includes what you'd expect -- the important speeches and marches, but it also includes some interesting tidbits from his childhood. Mr. Meltzer does a wonderful job of showing children that these larger-than-life individuals were just normal kids like them. He provides hope that everyone has the power to be an amazing adult and make a difference in the world.

All of this might sound a little over-the-top, a little much for a small picture book; however, I dare you to check out this series and not agree. Mr. Meltzer has done an amazing job of showing how the little things you experience in the normal course of your childhood build character. Let me give you an example:

In I AM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., Mr. Meltzer explains that MLK was accident prone. There is a cute illustration showing him bumping down the steps which will garner a laugh or two along with the speech bubbles like "Whoa! Amazing Fall!" and an "I'm Okay!" However, the page ends with this:

No matter how many times I fell, I kept getting back up.

I was also extremely impressed with how the book handled the issue of race and prejudice. Keep in mind this book is aimed at kids ages five to eight. It's an important topic, for sure, but not one that most of us are very comfortable in explaining to young children. Not only does this book show the great man that MLK was, it also does a wonderful job of showing the problems in our country and the progress it has made through the years (of course, much of this is due to that same great man!) It also teaches children and reminds adults of MLK's beliefs and his hope for reaching that dream.

I AM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. is illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. His drawings are fantastic. They have a comic book quality to them, but I'm sure the speech bubbles add to that look. What really is so darn cute about this book, though, is that MLK is drawn as a child in size even when he's an adult. And get this... he has a mustache from the very start!

I can't rave enough about I AM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. It's a fantastic picture book that is both cute and educational. Most importantly, the messages in this story are wonderful... for kids and adults!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Guest Review: Reagan

Summary: In his magisterial new biography, H. W. Brands brilliantly establishes Ronald Reagan as one of the two great presidents of the twentieth century, a true peer to Franklin Roosevelt. Reagan conveys with sweep and vigor how the confident force of Reagan’s personality and the unwavering nature of his beliefs enabled him to engineer a conservative revolution in American politics and play a crucial role in ending communism in the Soviet Union. Reagan shut down the age of liberalism, Brands shows, and ushered in the age of Reagan, whose defining principles are still powerfully felt today.

Reagan follows young Ronald Reagan as his ambition for ever larger stages compelled him to leave behind small-town Illinois to become first a radio announcer and then that quintessential public figure of modern America, a movie star. When his acting career stalled, his reinvention as the voice of The General Electric Theater on television made him an unlikely spokesman for corporate America. Then began Reagan’s improbable political ascension, starting in the 1960s, when he was first elected governor of California, and culminating in his election in 1980 as president of the United States.

Employing archival sources not available to previous biographers and drawing on dozens of interviews with surviving members of Reagan’s administration, Brands has crafted a richly detailed and fascinating narrative of the presidential years. He offers new insights into Reagan’s remote management style and fractious West Wing staff, his deft handling of public sentiment to transform the tax code, and his deeply misunderstood relationship with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, on which nothing less than the fate of the world turned.

Reagan is a storytelling triumph, an irresistible portrait of an underestimated politician whose pragmatic leadership and steadfast vision transformed the nation. -- Doubleday

When I received the opportunity to review REAGAN: THE LIFE by H.W. Brands, I knew that my father would really appreciate this book... and he did. Here are his thoughts:

The life of Ronald Reagan is brilliantly portrayed in REAGAN, THE LIFE by H.W. Brands. He tells the reader of a young Reagan who grew up poor in Illinois as the son of an alcoholic father. He follows Reagan as a sports broadcaster in the mid-west and then on to Hollywood where he achieved some success as a B-movie actor, led the actors’ union, worked as a spokesman for General Electric, was elected governor of California and became the most influential conservative politician in America. It may be surprising to some that Reagan spent much of his life as a Democrat and admired Franklin Roosevelt throughout his life. Brands then follows Reagan’s climb in national politics and his election as the 40th President of the United States in 1980. Reagan actually ran for president two times before he won the Republican Party nomination and was elected president. Many of the major moments in the Reagan presidency are brought to life in this biography. The reader is reminded of the assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr.; first lady Nancy Reagans relationship with an astrologer; the Iran-Contra affair with John Poindexter, William Casey and Oliver North; the 1983 Beirut bombing that killed 241 Marines; the air traffic controller strike and the nuclear reduction talks with Mikhail Gorbachev.

Brands also recounts the difficult relationship with Tip O’Neill and the presidential debate with Jimmy Carter where the famous “There you go again line” was uttered by Reagan. The reader is also given ample examples of the oratory skills that earned Reagan the title of “The Great Communicator.” Some of the more famous include Reagan’s address to Congress after returning from the Hinckley assassination attempt; the speech after the Challenger explosion; his speech at the 40th anniversary of D-Day; and his Berlin speech where he challenged Gorbachev to “tear down that wall”.

Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1994 at age 83 and passed away in 2004 at the age of 93.

Author H. W. Brands believed the Ronald Reagan, along with Franklin Roosevelt were the two most influential politicians of the 20th century. However, Reagan’s success or failure as president is very much influenced by the perspective and political persuasion of the reviewer. I don’t believe this biography would change opinions that have already been established.

REAGAN, THE LIFE is overall a fair and balanced account of Reagan’s presidency, giving success and failure equal billing. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in modern U.S. history.

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for his review and thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Dr. Mutter's Marvels

Summary: A mesmerizing biography of the brilliant and eccentric medical innovator who revolutionized American surgery and founded the country’s most famous museum of medical oddities

Imagine undergoing an operation without anesthesia, performed by a surgeon who refuses to sterilize his tools—or even wash his hands. This was the world of medicine when Thomas Dent Mütter began his trailblazing career as a plastic surgeon in Philadelphia during the mid-nineteenth century.

Although he died at just forty-eight, Mütter was an audacious medical innovator who pioneered the use of ether as anesthesia, the sterilization of surgical tools, and a compassion-based vision for helping the severely deformed, which clashed spectacularly with the sentiments of his time. Brilliant, outspoken, and brazenly handsome, Mütter was flamboyant in every aspect of his life. He wore pink silk suits to perform surgery, added an umlaut to his last name just because he could, and amassed an immense collection of medical oddities that would later form the basis of Philadelphia’s renowned Mütter Museum.

Award-winning writer Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz vividly chronicles how Mütter’s efforts helped establish Philadelphia as a global mecca for medical innovation—despite intense resistance from his numerous rivals. (Foremost among them: Charles D. Meigs, an influential obstetrician who loathed Mütter’s “overly modern” medical opinions.) In the narrative spirit of The Devil in the White City, Dr. Mütter’s Marvels interweaves an eye-opening portrait of nineteenth-century medicine with the riveting biography of a man once described as the “[P. T.] Barnum of the surgery room.” -- Penguin/Avery

DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS: A TRUE TALE OF INTRIGUE AND INNOVATION AT THE DAWN OF MODERN MEDICINE by Christin O'Keefe Aptowicz received a lot of great press when it was first released in hardcover last year. I never got around to reading it then, but fortunately I had a second chance when it was released in paperback. It's not a book that I would normally pick up; however, the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia has always intrigued me and I wanted to learn more about this fascinating man.

DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS is the biography of Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter, an innovative doctor who changed the way surgeries are performed. He also was the founder of the Mutter Museum, a museum of medical oddities. He died at only 48 years old, but he made a huge difference in his life as a renowned teacher and surgeon. I guarantee there are quite a few things he discovered or worked on that I'm personally grateful for like anesthesia and better hygiene in hospitals.

There is no doubt that Mutter was a great doctor and teacher, but he was also quite a character. He was over-the-top on many fronts including his style of clothes, his collection of medical oddities, and his feud with other doctors. Needless to say, he led an amazing life and Aptowicz's portrayal of it in this book is nothing short of fascinating.

I thoroughly enjoyed DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS. It was a quick read for me and never dry which to be honest was a concern when I started reading the book. Dr. Mutter was an interesting man, both personally and professionally; and the time period in which is he lived was so exciting for the advancement of medicine. As difficult as portions of this book were for me to read (like the lack of anesthesia for major surgeries), it was fascinating to learn about medicine both before and after Dr. Mutter's contributions.

One of the most interesting parts of this book was Mutter's relationship with his rivals,  namely Dr. Charles D. Meigs. Dr. Meigs was very old school and didn't appreciate Mutter's innovative ideas. Dr. Meigs came across as almost a comical character, knowing what we know now about hygiene and medicine; and I found their rivalry to be very entertaining.

The book ends with Dr. Mutter realizing that his death was imminent despite his young age. He worked until the very end, trying his best to teach medical students about his findings. In addition, he made sure that his medical collection had a home. Today, visitors can see Dr. Mutter's medical oddities in the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia.

DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS was a fantastic biography about an interesting, and very important, many. Highly recommended to fans of biographies or readers interested in medicine.

Thanks to Wunderkind PR for providing a review copy of this book.

Kid Konnection: Swan

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a gorgeous picture book about famous dancer.

Summary: One night, young Anna’s mother takes her to the ballet, and everything is changed. So begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to be the most famous prima ballerina of all time, inspiring legions of dancers after her: the brave, the generous, the transcendently gifted Anna Pavlova. Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova is a heartbreakingly beautiful picture book biography perfect for aspiring ballerinas of all ages. -- Chronicle

SWAN: THE LIFE AND DANCE OF ANNA PAVLOVA by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Julie Morstad is a very special biography about a very important woman. Anna Pavlova is arguably the most famous ballerina of all times, and this beautifully illustrated picture book brings her to life through beautiful prose.

SWAN tells the story of Anna, a young girl living in Russia in the late 1800s. She grew up very poor but her life was forever changed when her mom took her to see a ballet one evening. Anna fell in love with the art of dance, despite not having the body or feet for ballet. She worked extra hard to become a ballerina, and she captured the world with her dance.

I absolutely loved SWAN. Both the words and the pictures are just beautiful, and little ballerinas are going to love this book. This picture book not only celebrates Anna Pavlova's life but also the history of ballet. It's just stunning.

I knew very little about Anna Pavlova, so I definitely appreciated that this poetic story featured her life. After finishing this book, I wanted to know more about her. Fortunately, the author included a brief bio in the back of the book that answered many of my questions. I had no idea that Anna reinforced her ballet shoes because her feet were arched... and her "invention" led to modern day pointe shoes. I also was surprised to learn that she died very young because of pneumonia or pleurisy. In addition, I loved learning that Anna brought ballet to the masses!

SWAN is a beautiful picture book but also one that teaches children about a very special woman. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Kid Konnection: I am Lucille Ball

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you an adorable and educational picture book by a famous thriller writer.

Summary: “Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography—for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything.

This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream. -- Dial Books

I should just call this Brad Meltzer week on Booking Mama. To start the week, I reviewed his latest thriller THE PRESIDENT'S SHADOW; and now, I'm featuring his new children's picture book ORDINARY PEOPLE CHANGE THE WORLD: I AM LUCILLE BALL.

I AM LUCILLE BALL is part of the Ordinary People Change the World series; and while I was aware that Mr. Meltzer has been writing picture books, I had no idea how fantastic they are. I shouldn't be surprised. I absolutely adore this concept and think it's wonderful that these books are both cute and educational. Leave it to Mr. Meltzer to find a great way to teach kids about famous people who made a difference while also sending a powerful message that everyone can be a hero!

But I AM LUCILLE BALL isn't just for kids despite the fantastic illustrations and interesting story. I was surprised by how much I learned about the famous comedienne behind the iconic television series I Love Lucy. Like many funny people, her childhood wasn't easy, but Ms. Ball used humor to help her get through the tough times. As she grew older, she decided that she wanted a career in comedy; and after a lot of rejections, she got a job in a football comedy starring none other than the Three Stooges.

I loved learning the story of how Lucille Ball got her first big break on CBS with her husband Desi Arnaz. (It's a pretty special story!) She went on to be the first woman to run a major Hollywood studio, and her studio went on to produce some pretty amazing shows like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible. She also was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom!

Another thing I appreciated about I AM LUCILLE BALL was the way the story was presented. The book is written in first person from Ms. Ball's point of view (that's probably obvious based on the title), and I loved how she told her story. In addition to the text, the cute illustrations by illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos perfectly complement the tone of the book. I especially liked there were lots of picture bubbles to give even more details about Ms. Ball's life... and actually add some humor to the book.

I absolutely adored everything about I AM LUCILLE BALL... especially the message. Ms. Ball not only tells the story of her life and her accomplishment, but she also gives some fantastic advice. There actually are some great tidbits of wisdom woven into her story as well as her most important life lesson: "In this world, the person you need to love most is you."

I told you I AM LUCILLE BALL is one special picture book! I definitely need to check out Ms. Meltzer's other picture books in this series! Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Kid Konnection: Untamed

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a fascinating look at Jane Goodall's life.

Summary: Jane Goodall, one of the most recognized scientists in the Western world, became internationally famous because of her ability to observe and connect with animals. A girl of humble beginnings, she made scientific breakthroughs thought impossible by more experienced field observers, when she was only in her twenties. Jane’s work with animals shaped her life, leading her into a tireless fight to protect the environment so that chimpanzees and other animals might continue to have a future here on Earth. Jane Goodall’s extraordinary legacy has made a great impact on the scientific community. -- National Geographic

I have always had a huge interest in Jane Goodall and chimpanzees, so it was natural that I wanted to see the new National Geographic Kids book called UNTAMED: THE WILD LIFE OF JANE GOODALL by Anita Silvey. This book covers Ms. Goodall's entire life from her early childhood in England to her current work with her multiple charities. The book even includes a foreward written by Jane Goodall.

UNTAMED is an excellent biography of this fascinating woman for kids ages 8 (maybe 10) and up. The book is close to 100 pages and includes a great deal of information about Ms. Goodall and her studies. In addition, the author presents specifics about her life in a clear-cut way and includes a great deal about her love of animals as a child... which I think will resonate with early animal lovers.

I really can't say enough about UNTAMED. The book is incredibly interesting about Jane Goodall (who just happens to be a pretty amazing woman), but also about chimps and her conservation efforts. I especially loved the way all of the information was presented -- with plenty of gorgeous color photographs and charts and lists. It's a book that you can read from cover to cover (like I did) or skim though for the photos and fun facts.

One of my absolute favorite parts of UNTAMED was in the back of the book. There was an informational spread about chimps along with a Gombe Family Scrapbook. This scrapbook included photographs and details about many members of the chimp family that Ms. Goodall researched. I just love how you can see the different personalities in the photographs!

Another really special thing about UNTAMED is the way it covers Ms. Goodall's various charities and conservation efforts. I've said this a few times, but she really is incredible! The book shows how children can make a difference and encourages everyone to protect our world.

UNTAMED: THE WILD LIFE OF JANE GOODALL is an excellent way for kids to learn about Jane Goodall. It's also a great resource for information about chimps, Africa, and conservation efforts.

Thanks to Media Masters Publicity for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Kid Konnection: The Sky Painter & Giveaway

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a gorgeous picture book about a special artist.

Summary: Louis loves to watch birds. He takes care of injured birds and studies how they look and how they move. His father wants him to become an engineer, but Louis dreams of being a bird artist. To achieve this dream, he must practice, practice, practice. He learns from the art of John James Audubon. But as Louis grows up, he begins to draw and paint living, flying birds in their natural habitats.

Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874–1927) is now known as the father of modern bird art. He traveled with many scientific expeditions all over the world. His best-known works—paintings for habitat exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History in New York—are still beloved by visitors today. His art helped to encourage wildlife conservation, inspiring people to celebrate and protect the world of wings.

Poems by Newbery Honor–winning author Margarita Engle and illustrations by Aliona Bereghici capture the life of Louis Fuertes and the deep sense of wonder that he felt when he painted the sky. -- Two Lions

THE SKY PAINTER: LOUIS FUERTES, BIRD ARTIST by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Aliona Bereghici is a beautiful book with gorgeous poetic prose as well as amazing illustrations. What makes it even more special is that it tells the true story of Louis Fuertes, a famous bird artist.

I'm not sure if I'm alone when I say this, but I had never heard of Mr. Fuertes. I am not a huge fan of birds and the only bird artist I know is Audubon. That's probably what made THE SKY PAINTER so interesting to me. I was fascinated with Mr. Fuertes' non-traditional way of drawing birds.

After first learning to draw birds by posing ones that had been hunted, he decided that he wanted to let the birds live. As a result, Mr. Fuertes had to learn to paint quickly so he could capture them in their natural habitats. He eventually became quite good at this and even was able to capture the motion in their wings. He is credited with creating a new form of bird art!

I thought THE SKY PAINTER was a wonderful way to pay tribute to this special artist. The book begins when Mr. Fuertes was a young child just discovering the beauty of birds. It follows him throughout his career as he changed the way bird art was made. It's apparent that Mr. Fuertes loved nature, and especially birds; and he wanted to share his appreciation with others.

THE SKY PAINTER is an absolutely gorgeous book. It's written by a Newbery Honor-winning author and her prose is truly lovely. It's simple enough for young children, yet it also tells Mr. Fuertes' story in an interesting way. However, I thought the illustrations brought the book to the next level. They are beautiful! Each page comes alive with the bright colors and there is so much for readers to experience. I thought the pictures of the birds were especially detailed (as they should be in this book!), and I appreciated how many of them were labeled.

Because THE SKY PAINTER is both interesting and educational, it would be perfect for classrooms. There is an activity kit for teachers available on the author's website that has some unique ways to enhance children's reading experience.

I highly recommend THE SKY PAINTER!

Giveaway alert: One lucky winner will receive a copy of THE SKY PAINTER: LOUIS FUERTES, BIRD ARTIST. To enter, just fill out the form below before Friday, May 8th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!



Follow along on THE SKY PAINTER blog tour!

Mon, Apr 20 Library Fanatic
Tues, Apr 21 Kid Lit Frenzy
Wed, Apr 22 Unleashing Readers
Thurs, Apr 23 5 Minutes for Books
Fri, Apr 24 Teach Mentor Texts
Mon, Apr 27 Sharpread
Tues, Apr 28 The Children's Book Review
Wed, Apr 29 Cracking the Cover
Thurs, Apr 30 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust
Fri, May 1 Archimedes Notebook

Thanks to the Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Kid Konnection: You Never Heard of...?!

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you two fantastic picture books about some very special baseball players.

Summary: According to Booklist in a starred review, "the Say Hey Kid had style to spare, and so does this irrepressible book."

He hit 660 home runs (fourth best of all time), had a lifetime batting average of .302, and is second only to Babe Ruth on The Sporting News's list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players." Many believe him to be the best baseball player that ever lived. His name is Willie Mays. In Jonah Winter and Terry Widener's fascinating picture book biography, young readers can follow Mays's unparalleled career from growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, to playing awe-inspiring ball in the Negro Leagues and then the Majors, where he was center fielder for the New York (later San Francisco) Giants. Complete with sidebars filled with stats, and a cool lenticular cover, here is a book for all baseball lovers, young and old. -- Schwartz & Wade

Booking Son loves baseball! He plays it a few times a week and he keeps track of every team's record. In fact, it's the first thing he looks at when he gets up every morning. So when I opened a package containing YOU NEVER HEARD OF WILLIE MAYS?! by Jonah Winter and Terry Widener, I had a feeling that it was going to be a hit. That is a major understatement. He absolutely adored this book!

And truth be told... so did I! It's probably my favorite picture book that I've read with him so far this year. Even the cover is "cool" (his word.) -- it's a lenticular cover. I had no idea what lenticular was, so if you're like me, it's kind of/sort of a 3D effect. When you move the book, it looks like Willie Mays is swinging the bat! The rest of the illustrations by Terry Widener are also fantastic and fit the tone of the book perfectly.

But it's the story of Willie Mays that really captured my heart. Many would argue that Willie Mays is one of the best (if not the best) baseball player of all time. I absolutely loved how Jonah Winter presented his story. Naturally the book gives specifics about Mr. Mays' baseball career, but it also provides information about Mays' childhood and his early playing years in the Negro Leagues. It also talks about how Mr. Mays' followed in Jackie Robinson's footsteps with being an early African American player in the Major League as well as "the Catch" and how he got the nickname "the Say Hey Kid."

YOU NEVER HEARD OF WILLIE MAYS?! is a perfect book to read out loud with the young baseball enthusiast in your life... and that's mainly because of how it's written. The story is told by an unknown narrator who was obviously a huge fan of Willie Mays', and it's filled with lots of drama and exciting descriptions. There are even a few actual quotations from the baseball announcers giving the play-by-play of his games. Just check out this excerpt where the narrator describes "the Catch:"

"Can he still play? Hah! Game One of the 1954 World Series. Giants and Indians. That's right, with Mays back, the Giants had made it to the Series -- with the whole country watchin' on TV. Score's tied 2-2 in the eighth. Vic Wertz at bat for Cleveland. Two guys on, nobody out. With the count 1 and 2, Wertz SLAMS the ball to deep center field... and -- BAM -- WIllie's running' like a madman... without even lookin'! This was crazy! I mean, this is a shot NO ONE catches -- not even the Say Hey Kid. It was hit too far, too hard, and Willie has his back to it -- lookin' like he might run smack into the WALL! Still, he keeps on barrelin', at one point doin' that thing he does when he knows he'll make the catch, tappin' his glove with his right fist...

One more fun tidbit for baseball fans... this picture book includes sidebars filled with stats, not only about Willie Mays, but other great baseball players too. I'm telling you, Booking Son couldn't get enough of this book. 

Which brings me to the next YOU NEVER HEARD OF book....

Summary: In this striking picture book biography, an old-timer tells us what made Sandy Koufax such an amazing baseball player. We learn that the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers was rocky, that he was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game. We hear that he actually quit, only to return the next season—different—firing one rocket after another over the plate. We watch him refuse to play in the 1965 World Series because it is a Jewish high holy day. And we see him in pain because of an overused left arm, eventually retiring at the peak of his career. Finally, we are told that people are still “scratchin’ their heads over Sandy,” who remains a modest hero and a mystery to this day.

Accompanied by sidebars filled with statistics, this Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year and Booklist Top of the List is sure to delight budding baseball fans. -- Schwartz & Wade

Booking Son loved YOU NEVER HEARD OF WILLIE MAYS so much that I immediately began searching for other books in this series. Fortunately, there is one from a few years back called YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX?! by Jonah Winter and Andre Carrilho. Guess what the Easter Bunny brought in Booking Son's Easter basket!

YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX?! is just as much fun as YOU NEVER HEARD OF WILLIE MAYS?! It has the same great story about an amazing baseball player, and lots of baseball stats in the sidebars. The cover is also very "cool" because it looks like Koufax is pitching, but the illustrator is different (yet also very good!) And I have to say that Booking Son loved this book too!

One thing I really appreciated about this picture book is the way the author described Koufax. He's a little before my time, but I knew he was a great pitcher. What I didn't know is that he struggled for a few years with control issues (and he even quit) before becoming one of the best lefty pitchers of all time. He also had major pain in his elbow after every game, and one day he surprised everyone by retiring. It was also interesting to learn that Mr. Koufax was discriminated against because he was a Jew, and that he sat out a game in the 1965 World Series in honor of a Jewish High Holy Day.

I certainly hope that Mr. Winter continues to write more books in this series because I truly believe he's created a little bit of magic for young baseball fans... and their moms!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of YOU NEVER HEARD OF WILLIE MAYS?!

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Kid Konnection: Presidents

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you some educational books in honor of the upcoming President's Day holiday.

Summary: The most effective method used to influence children to read is to incorporate the information that interests them the most. National Geographic Readers are educational, high-interest, and comprehensive for children. In this title, readers will learn about the fascinating life and legacy of our 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln and his historic decision to abolish slavery. Readers will also learn why this decision impacted the United States, as well as the extent of Lincoln's impact as a fearless leader of the Civil War.

In this level two biography, difficult concepts are made understandable and transitioned into a more approachable manner. This includes the use of sidebars, timetables, diagrams and fun facts to hold the interest of the young reader. The colorful design and educational illustrations round out this text as an exemplary book for their young minds to explore. -- National Geographic Kids

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that we received some wonderful National Geographic books. The latest one that captured Booking Son's interest was NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC READERS: ABRAHAM LINCOLN by Caroline Crosson Gilpin. The reader book is aimed at Level 2 readers which are ones who are "reading independently," and Booking Son devoured it in just a few minutes.

I can't rave enough about the National Geographic Readers series especially since they've started doing biographies. This book follows Lincoln's life from his modest upbringing to his death. It also explores some aspects of the Civil War, and I think my son basically memorized every detail. He enjoyed the facts and the photos, but he absolutely loved the timeline and the quiz at the end of the book. I liked that there was a glossary included in the back of the book as well as new word definitions on the pages the word first appeared.

We can't wait for more books in this series. Highly recommended! 

Summary: Forty-four men have taken up the responsibilities of the presidency as the nation has grown from its colonial infancy into a modern superpower. They've faithfully executed the duties of the president—waged war, signed treaties, addressed Congress, and established government offices. But their impact goes far beyond the bounds of their job description. Each president has left his mark on the history of the United States and on the lives of the American people.

Our Country's Presidents is packed with information about America's leaders. Find out why George Washington gave up his life as a Virginia planter to lead a nation, and why John Tyler was nicknamed "His Accidency." Walk with the presidents through wars, depressions, civil rights movements, and the race for space. Romp with the Garfield kids in a White House pillow fight and mourn with the nation over John K. Kennedy's assassination.

Each new edition includes a brand-new profile of the newest president and the most recent election. In-depth text and historic images combine to make this volume the definitive family reference guide to the fascinating lives of the presidents of the United States. -- National Geographic
OUR COUNTRY'S PRESIDENTS by Ann Bausum is a wonderful history book that every child should have in their personal library! This is the fourth edition of this book and features a forward by Barack Obama. OUR COUNTRY'S PRESIDENTS features all 43 Presidents of the United States as well as interesting information about the presidency itself.

OUR COUNTRY'S PRESIDENTS can be read from cover to cover; however, I can tell you that my children probably wouldn't use it this way (although Booking Son might given his current interest in biographies.) The book begins with a brief introduction called "About the Presidency," and then there is a guide for how to use this book. I think this is extremely helpful because the book can be overwhelming! This section breaks out the various partss of the book and gives explanations for each. For example, the book has time lines, profiles, presidential portraits, fact boxes, thematic spreads, and reference aids.

OUR COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT is an outstanding resource on the Presidency and our 43 Presidents. The information is presented in a very user-friendly way and there are plenty of colored photographs, quotations, and timelines which make it interesting to children. I like that there are little fact boxes for each president which provide interesting tidbits like their nickname, important dates, terms of office, opponents, and even selected landmarks. However, if a child wants to learn more details about a President, there is also a nice written history of each one.

Outstanding history book with lots of presidential facts! A must-have for every child's library!

Summary: As the first president of the United States of America and the Commander in Chief who led a rebel army to victory in the Revolutionary War, George Washington was a legendary leader of men. He had high expectations of his soldiers, employees, and associates. At his Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon, his expectations of his workers were no different: “I expect such labor as they ought to render,” he wrote.

Except there was a big difference. The workers who kept Mount Vernon operating were enslaved. And although Washington called them “my people,” by law they were his property. The founders birthed a document celebrating “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” as unalienable rights at the same time people were being bought and sold. But the people of Mount Vernon were so much more, and they each have compelling stories to tell.

In the pages of Master George’s People, Marfé Ferguson Delano gives us fascinating portraits of cooks, overseers, valets, farm hands, and more—essential people nearly lost in the shadows of the past—interwoven with an extraordinary examination of the conscience of the "Father of Our Country". -- National Geographic

MASTER GEORGE'S PEOPLE: GEORGE WASHINGTON, HIS SLAVES, AND HIS REVOLUTIONARY TRANSFORMATION by Marfé Ferguson Delano is an unusual history book for children, but it's an important one. Normally, our countries forefathers are presented in an almost perfect light; however, this book explores slavery and Washington's personal experiences with it.

From the cover, this book looks like a typical picture book; however, it is actually geared towards an older audience. There are lots (and lots) of words per page and the subject matter and presentation style is for middle grade age and older readers. Plus, the subject matter is definitely aimed for children who understand slavery as well as Washington's personal misgivings with the institution.

What I appreciated about this book was it's honestly. MASTER GEORGE'S PEOPLE definitely shows Washington in a true light -- that means the good and the bad. It even explores some of his more questionable treatment of slaves, but it does a wonderful job of presenting it in a fair way. While it doesn't make excuses for his behavior, it does show the culture of the country and how plantation owners, like Washington, didn't know how to free the slaves without causing an economic collapse. The book also showed how Washington, in the last decade of his life, took a stand on slavery (because of his moral conscience) and freed his slaves. (Note: Washington was the only one out of the slave-owning founding fathers to liberate slaves in his lifetime.)

In addition to Washington's story, the book has portraits of some of Washington's slaves. There are features on his cook, his valet, his overseer and more; and I think it's terrific for children to be able to put a story with these names. These portraits not only humanize these individuals, but they also show how valuable they were to Washington and his family.

While there is a great deal of text in this book, there are also many beautiful color photographs by Lori Epstein. The photographs were taken at Mount Vernon, Washington's home, and feature many historical interpreters who reenact slave life at the plantation.

Fascinating book that explores Washington as a leader and a man and also showcases some of his slaves.

Thanks to Media Masters for providing review copies of these books.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Kid Konnection: Bon Appetit!

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a wonderful picture book about the famous chef Julia Child.

Summary: In a starred review, Publishers Weekly raves, "Chef and TV personality Julia Child likely would have delighted in and hooted over this wide-ranging picture-book biography.... Readers young and old will devour this fete pour les yeux."

Follow Julia Child—chef, author, and television personality—from her childhood in Pasadena, California, to her life as a spy in WWII, to the cooking classes she took in Paris, to the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to the funny moments of being a chef on TV. This is a comprehensive and enchanting picture book biography, told in many panels and jam-packed with lively, humorous, and child-friendly details. Young chefs and Julia Child fans will exclaim, "ooooh la la," about this book, which is as energetic and eccentric as the chef herself. -- Schwartz & Wade

BON APPETIT!: THE DELICIOUS LIFE OF JULIA CHILD by Jessie Hartland just has to be one of my favorite picture books that I've read this year. It's positively delightful and has certainly gathered its fair share of praise. I was anxious to read this book after Kathy (aka Bermudaonion) reviewed it earlier this year, and I was so grateful when she sent it to me.

While I will most likely never cook any of the recipes from a Julia Child cookbook, I am very interested in her life. I read her memoir MY LIFE IN FRANCE and even saw Julie & Julia in the movie theater (which is extremely rare for me!) I have also visited her kitchen at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History a few times, and I'm planning on tackling the huge biography of her that came out earlier this year. But in the meantime, BON APPETIT was the perfect way for me to learn a little more about Ms. Child.

BON APPETIT is too darn cute! It's definitely a biography of Ms. Child's life, but it's presented in a very fun way that kids (and parents) will appreciate. Nothing about this story is dry! The book is technically a picture book, but it has panels and text that remind me of a graphic novel. And, the artwork by Jessie Hartland is to darn cute. It's very colorful and whimsical and the perfect complement to Ms. Hartland's entertaining biography of Ms. Child.

In addition to the artwork and story, I loved the messages in this book. They are perfect for young children. Ms. Child wasn't the greatest student or even the prettiest one, and she was a bit of a late bloomer; however, she was determined to succeed at what she loved and she never gave up. The ten years she spent working on MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING definitely proved that! The book also shows that it's possible to find your passion and make a difference.

Another neat thing about BON APPETIT is that it presented a lot of information about cooking and food to children. My kids probably wouldn't know half the ingredients or foods mentioned in this book, but the author did a great job of explaining them to young readers. I especially appreciated that she drew a small truffle and explained not only what a truffle was, but how much one that size would cost. At the end of the book, the author even included her recipe for crepes.

As you can see, I absolutely adored BON APPETIT -- everything about it. The artwork, the story, and even the message make this book extremely special! Highly recommended!

Thanks to the Kathy for giving us a copy of this book.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. 

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!