Books

BOOKS

Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books

Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Chronicle Books
April 2017

"A stellar introduction to “the father of children’s ¬literature,” and a glorious example of dynamic bookmaking."
— School Library Journal (starred review)

“An effervescent tribute to publisher John Newbery."
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A child-pleaser."
-- Booklist (starred review)

A Junior Library Guild Selection

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Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead

Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Balzer & Bray
January 2016

“Smart and snappy…as inspiring as it is delightful.”
— Booklist (starred review)

“Both for fun and education…go-girl power and a good read.”
- Kirkus

“Concisely outlines Clinton’s journey from activist to First Lady of Arkansas and on to Washington, D.C….Pham’s (the Freckleface Strawberry series) watercolors are steeped in period detail.”
- Publishers Weekly

"focuses on the mostly male political world Clinton had to navigate to get where she is...a lighthearted and cheering girl-power approach."
- Washington Post

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Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909

Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Balzer & Bray
January 2013

The 2014 Jane Addams Book Award for Younger Readers
The 2014 Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for Nonfiction from
Bank Street College CBC

NCTE 2014 Orbis Pictus Honor Book,
Amelia Bloomer List

Starred reviews, School Library Journal, Kirkus
A Junior Library Guild selection

“The zingy images masterfully (and appropriately) incorporate fabric and stitches as well as old images of checks and time cards … This book has fighting spirit in spades-you go, Clara!”

— Booklist (starred review)

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It was chosen as one of 2013's Best Nonfiction Children's Books of the Year by School Library Journal, one of the top titles for 2013 by Book Links,and was a Nerdy Book Award winner for nonfiction.

Brave Girl was also featured in the TABLET magazine article:

"Not Just for Kids: Three Knockout Biographies Bring Three Awesome Jews to Life"

and came out in a PJ Library edition.

The Fantastic Jungles
of Henri Rousseau

Illustrated by Amanda Hall
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
September 2012

2013 PEN/Steven Kroll Award for Picture Book Writing
Parents' Choice Gold Award 2013
Bank Street College Best Children's Books of 2013
Storytelling World Resource Award 2014

Starred review, Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist
A Junior Library Guild selection

"Markel's simple, poetic text
("tropical plants fruit and flower into garlands,
rockets, and rosettes of color")
is matched with Hall's vivid, venturesome illustrations.
The bright watercolor-and-acrylic paintings have
an impressive vitality and wonderfully channel
Rousseau's fantastic motifs and his characteristic
use of flattened shapes and perspectives.
This lovely, child-friendly biography
evokes and celebrates this fabulous naif. "

— Kirkus Reviews

Click here for Teacher's Guide

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Tyrannosaurus Math

Illustrated by Doug Cushman
Tricycle Press/Random House

Scholastic Book Club edition: over 100,000 copies sold
Published in Japanese by Fukuinkan Shoten

"T-Math's enthusiasm for numbers and solutions to real-world problems makes this a title readers can sink their teeth into...Cushman's brightly colored acrylic illustrations nicely show readers the math involved without diminishing in any way
the personalities of the dinosaurs. The ultimate melding of a topic kids love with knowledge they need." — Kirkus Reviews

Click here for Lesson Ideas

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Dreamer From the Village:
The Story of Marc Chagall

Illustrated by Emily Lisker
Henry Holt

A 2006 Notable Children's Book of Jewish Content
(Association of Jewish Libraries)

A 2006 New York Times Best Book
for Reading and Sharing with Children

Published in Russian by Text

“This is not a biography for reports, but rather an excellent portrait
of an artist that will open and expand children's minds."
— School Library Journal