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The Librarian Who Measured the Earth Written by Kathryn Lasky; Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes Little, Brown and Company. 1994 ISBN: 0316515264 I am on a crusade to get some really terrific and often overlooked informational picture books into the hands of teachers and parents. These books, read aloud to middle and high school students, could be a gateway for important conversations and growth.

If the World were a Village: a book about World’s People Book 1 in the CitizenKid series Written by David J. Smith; Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong Kids Can Press. 2nd edition. 2011 ISBN: 9781554535958 I am on a crusade to get some really terrific and often overlooked informational picture books into the hands of teachers and parents. These books, read aloud to middle and high school

Aaron and Alexander: the Most Famous Duel in American History Written and illustrated by Don Brown Roaring Brook Press. 2015 ISBN: 9781596439986 Grades 5 - 12 I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library. Aaron and Alexander could have been friends. They were alike in many ways. But the ways in which they were different made them the worst of enemies. Brown’s

The Smart Girl’s Guide to Privacy: Practical Tips for Staying Safe Online by Violet Blue No Starch Press. 2015 ISBN: 9781593276485 Grades 9 thru adult I received a copy of this book from the publisher This review reflects my opinion and not that of the Cybils YA Nonfiction Committee Has your email, Twitter, Snapchat or other online account ever been hacked? Do you worry how easy your

Sally Ride: a photography of America’s pioneering woman in space Tam O’Shaughnessy Roaring Brook Press. 2015 ISBN: 9781596439948 Grades 6-12 I received a copy of this book from the publisher This review reflects my own opinion and not that of the 2015 Cybils Committee. The story of Sally Ride is lovingly shared by her friend and life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy. The two met when

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From the Backlist: 10,000 Days of Thunder: a history of the Vietnam War Philip Caputo Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 2005 ISBN: 9780689862311 Grades 8+ I borrowed this book from my local public library. The Vietnam War defined a generation. It was the inspiration behind scores of songs, sparked dozens of riots, and came to be known as the most controversial war in American history.

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Weeds Find a Way Words by Cindy Jenson-Elliot; pictures by Carolyn Fisher  Beach Lane Books. 2014 ISBN: 9781442412606 Preschool to Grade 3 I received a copy of this book from the publisher. “Weeds send their seeds into the world in wondrous ways: fluffing up like feathers and floating away on the wind.”  Jenson-Elliot has penned a lovely informational picture book about how weeds

Doable: the girls' guide to accomplishing just about anything by Deborah Reber Simon Pulse. 2015 ISBN: 9781582704678 Grades 10 thru adult I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library I’ve been taking a class in Leadership; it’s really a course in Coaching. I took it with the intention of becoming a more effective manager at work, but also a supportive friend and mentor

Gordon Parks: How the photographer captures Black and White America Written by Carole Boston Weatherford; Illustrated by Jamey Christoph Albert Whitman & Company. 2015 ISBN: 9780807530177 Grades 3 thru 12 I borrowed this book out of my local public library As mentioned in the review of The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, by 1902 the gains African Americans made for equality during the

A Nest is Noisy Written by Dianna Hutts Aston; Illustrations by Sylvia Long Chronicle Books. 2015 ISBN: 9781452127132 Preschool on up I received a copy of this book from the publisher. They’ve done it again!  The award-winning duo, Dianna Hutts Aston & Sylvia Long, have added a fifth title to their informational science picture book series. (An Egg is Quiet, A Seed is Sleepy, A

Why'd They Wear That?: Fashion as the Mirror of History  by Sarah Albee National Geographic, 2015 ISBN: 9781426319198 Grades 5 and up The reviewer borrowed a copy of the book from her school library. Sarah Albee's latest nonfiction book for tweens and teens is a fascinating look at the history of fashion through the ages. Why'd They Wear That? is the kind of book you can sit down and read from

Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink by Gail Carson Levine Harper. 2014 ISBN: 9780062275301 Grades 4 -12 I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library Looking back at a book from 2014. In Write to Writer: from think to ink, Levine guides hopeful writers on creating stories that will captivate readers. Picking up where she left off in Writing Magic: creating stories that fly--and

My Librarian is a Camel: how books are brought to children around the world By Margriet Ruurs Boyds Mills Press. 2015 ISBN: 9781590780930 Grades K-12 I went into my local public library and borrowed a copy of this book. In My Librarian is a Camel, author Margriet Ruurs contacted librarians around the world and asked them to share their stories about their efforts to connect books with

Chernobyl’s Wild Kingdom: life in the Dead Zone By Rebecca L. Johnson Twenty-First Century Books. 2015 ISBN: 9781467711548 Grades 5-12 To review this book, I borrowed a copy from my local public library. On April 26, 1986, Reactor Number 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded sending extremely high levels of ionizing radiation into the atmosphere that would cover the area.

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Earmuffs for Everyone: how Chester Greenwood became known as the inventor of earmuffsWritten and illustrated by Meghan McCarthyA Paula Wiseman Book: Simon & Schuster. 2014ISBN: 9781481406376All agesI borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library.In Earmuffs for Everyone, the clever and talented Meghan McCarthy offers readers an explanation as to how Chester Greenwood (from Maine)

The Iridescence of Birds: a book about Henri Matisse By Patricia MacLachlan; Pictures by Hadley Hooper A Neal Porter Book/Roaring Brook Press. 2014 ISBN: 9781596439481 All ages To write this review, I borrowed a copy of the book from my local public library. The Iridescence of Birds is an informational picture book biography that is breathtaking from cover to cover. Author Patricia

OwlKids Books promotes awareness of our world to encourage young readers to become more astute observers of how their choices can affect the natural world. OwlKids Books appeal to readers who enjoy bold graphics with quick facts using minimal text. Why We Live Where We Live Written by Kira Vermond; Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin ISBN: 9781771470117 Grades 4-6 Vermond takes readers on a

Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job By Dorothy Hinshaw Patent Bloomsbury. 2014 ISBN: 9780802736185 Grades 3-6 To review this book, I borrowed a copy from my local public library. I couldn't resist reviewing another book about dogs who use their incredible sense of smell to help get the job done. Take any dog, any dog, for a walk along a sidewalk or in a park, and you won’t be

The Next Wave:  the quest to harness the power of the oceans Scientists in the Field Elizabeth Rusch Houghton Mifflin. 2014 ISBN: 9780544099999 Grades 5-12 The publisher sent me this book for reviewing. When I first moved to Maine I lived on an island where I experienced first hand the strength and power of the ocean. From being trapped on the island when the weather was too

Sniffer Dogs: how dogs (and their noses) save the world By Nancy F. Castaldo Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2014 ISBN: 9780544088931 Grades 3 thru 12 To write this review, I borrowed this book from my local public library. In Sniffer Dogs, readers learn how canines use their incredible sense of smell to help find us, keep us safe, and rescue us from danger. They even help protect the

Strike: the farm workers fight for their rights By Larry Dane Brimmer Calkins Creek. October 2014 ISBN: 9781590789971 Grades 9 thru 12 I used an ARC given by the publisher to write this review. In 1965, a group of Filipino and Chicano farm workers, unhappy with their deplorable working conditions and substandard wages organized a strike against the grape industry. The strike, which

Freedom Summer: the 1964 struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi By Susan Goldman Rubin Holiday House. 2014 ISBN: 9780823429202 Grades 7 thru 12 I reviewed a copy of the book sent by the publisher. In 1964, Mississippi was the last frontier of the Civil Rights Movement in getting African Americans registered to vote. Racism was rampant, only 6.4 % of eligible blacks were registered