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The Chinese New Year is tomorrow !!! The WWW is buzzing with great facts, books and actitivities families can do surrounding China and this wonderful holiday. Let’s dig into Exploring China with Great Kidlit Books. Here are some of my top picks this week:

Something to Do

Time to create your own Year of the Monkey Bookmark Craft thanks to Mia at @PragmaticMom

I love this Chinese New Year Crafts – Paper Plate Dragon from Fun Craft Kids

In honor of The Year of the Money-here are 25 Mischievous Monkey Crafts for Kids from Southern Girl Ramblings

Good Reads and Booklists

Picture books celebrating the Chinese New Year from Youth Literature Reviews

Learn about China with these books about China and Chinese New Year from No Time for Flashcards

12 Books to Explore CHINA for Chinese New Year

Past JIAB Reviews and Extension Activities

19 Books Celebrating China with Author Demi

Family Book Festival: Beth Cheng and The Monkey King

Cooking with Books:  Lucky Birthday Noodles {Guest Post by Jodie from Growing Book by Book}

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin

Grandfather Tang’s Story: Storytelling with Tangrams

Little Leap Forward-A Boy in Bejing by Guy Yue & Clare Farrow

Free Gift-Multicultural Activities for kids
Don’t forget to grab my FREE Gift to YOU! Available for only a short time. Grab your copy HERE.

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The post Weekend Links: Happy Chinese New Year with Great Kidlit Books appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Of late I had the honor of joining Daniel José Older and Sabaa Tahir in answering questions on Diversity in YA Fantasy from Maggie Reagan from Booklist. My thoughts included:

I’ve had students ask me, “How do I write this without freaking out the white folks?” And yet authors hold back at the peril of young readers. Those who share our perspectives go invalidated, and those who don’t are never exposed and enlightened.

I also noticed a Freudian slip in my comments, and I'm inclined to leave it be. I refer to some allied librarians, insistent on telling (rather than sharing) stories of Native people as stock characters uniformly suffering from alcoholism on reservation. But telling is what I really did mean. There aren't Native children's-YA writers crafting fiction along those lines.

Yet I'm told, time and again, that this stereotype is the single story that resonates. It's come up to stand alongside the "romantic, New-Age-y" stereotype and "historical savage" stereotype. Together and separately, these persistent tropes negate respect, nuance, complexity, humanity, and back to the focus of article, the potential for Native-inclusive children's-YA fantasy done right.

It's disheartening to refute, coming from allies. So, if you count yourself among them, please know that you are appreciated. But also be careful of assumptions, however benevolently intended.

See Telling Better Stories: Writing Diverse YA Fantasy.

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Such an exciting week this week with great awards, reviews and victories! As you can imagine, much of my focus has been on the upcoming Multicultural Children’s Book Day Event (1/27) and all the excitement surrounding this national event. Bloggers are frantically reading books and publishing their reviews and activities. Here an example:

Great review on multicultural children’s books from Lil’ Libros at @espanolita #ReadYourWorld!

All Sorts of awards and victories this week too! Here are a few notable ones:

2016 Newbery and Caldecott Winners  via @imaginationsoup

MCCBD now has it’s official poster thanks to the huge talents of Robert Liu-Trujillo! Sqqquueeeee! LOVE this poster!
FREE Downloadable Multicultural Children’s Book Day!

I was the first Featured Expert for 2016 on KidLit TV!

Booklists To Investigate
11 Inspiring Multicultural Biographies For Kids from I’m Not The Nanny

The Ultimate List of 2016 Children’s Picture & Board Books! at Here We Read.

Fond Memories of Katie Woo & 3 Book #giveaway via @PragmaticMom

Diverse Winter Books for Children-via @Multicultural Kids

A Snowy Kidlit Booklist at Jump Into A Book

Sadly, the book world lost a very bright star recently Godspeed Andrea Cheng Read the interview we did with her last year and also Lee and Low’s wonderful tribute post as well Remembering Children’s Author Andrea Cheng.

Follow me on Pinterest!
Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board Jump Into a Book Kidlit Booklists on Pinterest.

Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board A Year In The Secret Garden on Pinterest.

The post Weekend Links: Multicultural Links, Awards and Updates appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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Welcome to the Snowed-In Winter Book Festival!

One of the things I love most about winter is SNOW and being “snowed in” seems to happen frequently (whether officially…or “by choice”). To finish I thought I’d share a few of our all time favorite books about snow. Hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves and have had a romping good snow filled time.

1. Blizzard by John Rocco

2. Snow by Uri Shulevitz

3. Story of the Snow Children

4. The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino

5. Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

6. The Secret Life of a Snowflake: An up-close look at the Art and Science of Snowflakes.

7. The Jacket I wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel

8. White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

9. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

10. Snow by Cynthia Rylant

11. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

12. The Big Snow by Berta Hader

What books would you add to this list?

**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!

Are you a multicultural children’s book author looking for a unique and effective way to get your work in front of parents, bloggers, teachers and librarians? Our Author Sponsorship for the upcoming Multicultural Children’s Book Day (1-27-16) is a very affordable way for authors to gain visibility before and after this growing event and also get their books into the hands of review bloggers.

To learn more about why this is a valuable opportunity for diverse book authors, and to see how easy it is to get involved, go HERE for the full scoop on Author Sponsorships and other levels of Sponsorship as well. Want to see the other authors who have already joined the party? Go here. Your book, illustrator and author could be listed here as well!

The post The Snowed In Winter Book Festival-A Snowy Kidlit Booklist appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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I started 91 books this year and finished 89. I’m now fully in the swing of reading at least 30 minutes before bed which has been great. Last year I had a lot of random low-level health issues which complicated matters a bit but I’m still pretty happy with how the Year in Reading turned out.

average read per month: 7.47
average read per week: 1.7
number read in worst month: 5 (Apr)
number read in best month: 11 (Aug)
number unfinished: 2
percentage by male authors: 59
percentage by female authors: 41
percentage of authors of color: 3
fiction as percentage of total: 73
non-fiction as percentage of total: 27
percentage of total liked: 90
percentage of total ambivalent: 7
percentage of total disliked: 3

The biggest issue this year was that I didn’t actively prioritize reading authors of color and so I just didn’t. No good. Must do better. Did okay with non-US authors but that’s not the same. I did a lot of social justice online reading and kept a bookshelf of worthwhile articles over at This.cm but I needed to translate more of this into book length reading and I did not. Digging into the Louise Penny series upped my percentage of female authors but I still need to work on that. I read a lot of books that I really enjoyed this past year including a history of spam and a photography book about large trees. I got a lot more suggestions from reading Library Journal than usual which was good and bad. I added a few books to my Best in Show shortlist. If you’ve made a reading list for last year, I’d love to read it. Happy New Year.

Previous librarian.net summaries: 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004. My always-updated booklist lives at jessamyn.info/booklist and it has its own RSS feed which is mostly not broken.

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It’s an exceptionally magical time of year. As I was pondering this the thought of my friend the “winter tomte” or “jul tomte” popped into my mind. Is there really such a thing ? Ah yes there really is such a thing as a winter tomte and this time of year especially we have many eager children waiting for the Jul Tomte to come on Christmas Eve bring sack full of presents, chocolate and good fun.

The tomte in Sweden and Nisse in Norway and Denmark is a Scandinavian myth.  Tomtes are small, bearded men who wear red colored caps and are rarely, if ever seen by humans. Since we are talking about Winter Tomte I have to also share that you’ll only see the menfolk as the women and children are home making merry and getting ready for the great celebrations ahead.

 The word tomte actually means “homestead man” and the word Nisse is the nickname for the name Nils which means Nicholas as in St. Nicholas. So a tomte is a little man who resides on the farm and on Christmas, plays the roll of St. Nick and Santa all rolled into one. 

Traditionally, tomtes live on farms, back yards, and maybe even under the pantry at your house. They stay out of sight during the day, and come out at night to do chores, and help out around the house, farm , and garden.  They help farms, gardens, and homes to prosper and be successful. We never get something for nothing, so in return they ask that the land, garden, forest and animals be treated kindly and respectfully.

One of the greatest signs of good luck is to have a tomte living at your house, in your garden or on your farm. To make sure that they stay with you, always give them a bowl of porridge topped with butter and maybe even some brown sugar on Christmas Eve. They’ll be so happy. (Recipe Below)

Warning:  

It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t warn you though, that tomtes have very bad tempers and are very strong. If you make them angry or offend them they’ll wreak havoc around the house and farm. Things to expect are all horses and cows tails tied together. All of the cereal boxes turned upside down in the cupboard. Silverware placed in the freezer, glasses turned upside down so you can’t pour milk or water into them. If everything is going backwards at your house or it’s just in complete chaos, you may have a disgruntled tomte.

Enough of warnings…..would you like to know more about winter tomte and all of the great magic they bring ? Have a look below for some great tomte adventures.

The Winter Tomte Booklist

The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren

The tomte, who speaks the “tomter” language, is a good-natured elf-like creature who lives only on farms and is very busy during the winter while adults and children sleep. These people have never seen him, but they do see his tiny tracks in the snow. The invisible “tomten” also visits all the farm animals, speaks with them in his language, and brings them straw if they are cold.

The Tomten and the Fox by Astrid Lindgren

A beautifully illustrated tale adapted from an old Swedish poem. The Tomten, who looks after the farm at night, meets a hungry fox and agrees to share his supper with him if the fox promises to leave the hens alone. A very gentle, friendly story. It is refreshing that he understands that the fox is hungry and needs to eat – rather than the ‘nasty fox’ approach.

The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits: A Christmas Story for Advent by Ulf Stark

Grump the Yule Tomte lives all alone, which is exactly how he likes it! He’s waiting for Christmas to arrive when all of a sudden a gust of wind steals his mittens from the washing line and his hat from his head. That’s the last straw — he won’t be the Yule Tomte any more! Binny and Barty, the rabbit children, live with their family in the forest. They’ve never heard of Christmas, or the Yule Tomte, until the wind brings them some strange gifts…All the animals in the forest prepare for the arrival of Christmas. They make presents, bake sweet treats and even write a song. But will the Yule Tomte ever bring Christmas to the big forest? This charming and funny Christmas story of a grumpy tomte and the hopeful little rabbits is told over twenty-five chapters — one for each day of Advent — with delightful festive illustrations. Perfect for families to share together.

The Tomte’s Christmas Porridge by Sven Norquist

Every Christmas Eve, the Master puts out rice pudding for the tomtes to say thank you for their help around the house throughout the year. But recently the Master has forgotten, and Mama tomte knows he’ll forget again this year. The elves hatch a plot to steal a bowl of Christmas pudding, without being seen, so that Papa tomte doesn’t get upset. This charming story is based on an old Swedish Christmas tradition. It is illustrated with great humour and is full of delightful detail, as the tomte family scurry around their Master’s house one busy Christmas Eve.

Little Tomte’s Christmas Wish by Inkeri Karvonen

Little Tomte lives happily in his cosy house beside a beautiful tree. When winter arrives, he’s worried that Christmas won’t come — until he makes a special Christmas wish. He embarks on a candle-making plan which will help make his wish come true. A heartwarming festive tale drawn with gentle humour by acclaimed Finnish illustrator Hannu Taina.

The Christmas Tomten by Viktor Rydberg

On Christmas Eve, Vigg is invited to accompany the Christmas tomten on his rounds which include a stop at the Hall of the Mountain King.

Winter frost by Michelle Houts

An ordinary Danish Christmas turns extraordinary when a family overlooks an important folkloric tradition.

Christmas has come, and with it a sparkling white winterfrost over the countryside. But twelve-year-old Bettina’s parents have been called away unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of the house, the farm, and baby Pia. In all the confusion, Bettina’s family neglects to set out the traditional bowl of Christmas rice pudding for the tiny nisse who are rumored to look after the family and their livestock. No one besides her grandfather ever believed the nisse were real, so what harm could there be in forgetting this silly custom? But when baby Pia disappears during a nap, the magic of the nisse makes itself known. To find her sister and set things right, Bettina must venture into the miniature world of these usually helpful, but sometimes mischievous folk. A delightful winter adventure for lovers of the legendary and miraculous.

The Gnome Craft Book by Thomas and Petra Berger

In English, tomte are known as gnomes. I thought maybe, just maybe all of this reading about tomte might have you wanting to make a few of your own. This is a fantastic book with really great totes?gnomes to make and tomte/gnome crafts.

Gnome crafts offer a wealth of possibilities for activities with children, appealing to their imagination in a vivid and entertaining way. Thomas and Petra Berger show how to make gnomes out of walnuts, twigs, wool and paper, as well as from a variety of other media. There are plenty of different types of gnome to keep children amused for hours. Any of the characters in the book would be at home on a seasonal nature table. Includes instructions for making Astrid Lindgren’s classic gnome the Tomten.

A Magic Porridge Recipe

Now that you know a little more about the Winter Tomte and what magic he brings. Let’s leave him something in return for his kindness. Make sure you taste a lot of it to make sure it’s just right for our kind friend. ~God Jul~ which means Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays in Swedish.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of arborio rice. This is a short grain rice used in Risotto. You can find it in any grocery store.
• 5 cups of milk 2% is best or whole milk.
• 2-3 tbsp of butter or margarine
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Sugar, cinnamon, and milk to serve with

Directions

1. Boil water in a heavy sauce pan or large pot, add rice and salt, and boil with a lid until the rice as absorbed all the water.
2. Pour half of the milk in and simmer on low, stirring constantly for 15 minutes.
3. Continue to let simmer and add the rest of the milk, stirring every now and then to keep the porridge from sticking.
4. Mix in the butter, sugar and add salt and/or more sugar to taste if you choose.
5. After cooking between 40 and 50 minutes, the porridge is finished. Serve with cinnamon, sage and milk as each person chooses.

Jul Porridge: Remember to leave a bowl out for your Jul tomte on Christmas Eve. Don’t forget the great toppings such as cinnamon and sugar. If you’re Jul Tomte is really happy, he’ll leave one almond in the porridge pot. Whoever gets it in their bowl on Christmas morning will have great good luck and good fortune for the next year.

Review Bloggers! We Need YOU! MCCBD 2016 Review Blogger Sign-up is OPEN

It’s not too late to sign up as a review blogger for Multicultural Children’s Book Day! We have a plethora of simply amazing diversity children’s authors who are offering up a free books to bloggers who would like to do a review in honor of this January 27, 2016 online event!

The deadline to sign up is December 31st and we still have a few spots left. This is great way for bloggers to get involved in an important national initiative and gain new visitors to their site! All participating bloggers will be invited to add their book review to a Huge Linky on 1/27/16 that will ultimately become a valued resource for parents, teachers and librarians. Sign up ASAP!

The post An Exceptionally Magical Winter Tomte Booklist! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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As I sit in my office at JIAB headquarters, the Fall winds are whispering loudly and the leaves are tumbling down from the trees and quietly pelting the ground. As the weather in Maryville, TN turns chillier, and the autumn winds bring an end to the colorful leaf-watching activities, I can’t help secretly wishing I could go fly a kite!

One of our favorite things to do in April is fly our kites at our local kite festival in the park. Granted, it’s not April, but I do enjoy the childlike fun affiliated with flying a kite. To get everyone in the spirit of Kite Flying we pulled out some of our favorite books to read and created 9 Kidlit Books About Kites. I love the multicultural nature of these books as well. Hope our list inspires you as well.

Kite Flying by Grace Lin – The wind is blowing which makes for a good day to fly kites. Come enjoy this family as they make a dragon kite together.

The Legend of the Kite by Chen Jiang Hong – A grandfather and his grandson build a kite for thier local kite festival. Also included is the history of China’s kite flying tradition.

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers – Floyd’s kite gets stuck in a tree and he has to figure out how to get it down. First he throws his shoe which also gets stuck. He then decides to throw the other shoe which ends up with the first shoe and the kite stuck in the tree. This is only the beginning of a long list of hysterically funny things which get thrown up into the tree to unstuck the kite. This is such a great read!

Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel – Frog and Toad spend their days together flying kites, celebrating Toad’s birthday, and having lots of fun together.

Kites: Magic Wishes that Fly Up to the Sky by Demi – One of my favorite author/illustrators, Demi tells the story of how kites came to be. A long time ago in China a woman commissioned an artist to paint a dragon kite for her son. It was the mother’s hope that this beautiful dragon which stood for wealth, wisdom, power, and nobility would be seen by the gods in heaven who would assist her son in growing up to be big and strong. Demi’s art is exquisite in this great book.

How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by Rosalyn Schanzer – Look into the world of Benjamin Franklin and discover how he used lightening and a kite to make people’s lives safer.

The Kite Festival by Leyla Torres – One Sunday morning, Fernando Florez and his multi-generational family go to town and discover a kite festival. With all the stores closed they have to work together to create a kite. This is such a sweet story.

Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall – Henry lives in Chinatown in New York City and loves to make kites with his grandfather Chin. While Henry and his grandfather fly their kites in the park, kids from Little Italy keep throwing rocks at them and destroying the beautiful kites. Henry and his friends decide that enough is enough. This book is based on a true story in 1920 when two groups of kids form idfferent cultures came face to face to discover they have much more in common than differences.

The Best Winds by Laura Williams – A classic Korean tale about Jinho and his grandfather who teaches him the art of kite making.

I hope you have many wonderful days reading about kites and good wind to go and fly a few!

***some of these links are affiliate links

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Discover the joys of delving into this timeless children’s literature classic and see the Secret Garden through new eyes and a modern twist!
Kids and nature go hand-and-hand and enjoying the bounty that the great outdoors brings is not just a “summer thing.” The newest book from children’s book authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters teaches families everywhere to enjoy not only the great outdoors with month-by-month activities, but to jump deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!

The post Go Fly a Kite! 9 Kidlit Books About Kites appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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It may have started in late September, but Banned Books Week is already providing this busy readers with all sorts of new children’s book ideas!

Banned Books Week is the national book community’s annual celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2015 celebration will be held September 27-October 3.

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 according to the American Library Association. Read more about Banned Books Week HERE.

I shared my own “banned book” experience on Thursday when I talked about the one and only time I “banned ” a book from my family’s bookshelf, and how I used the opportunity as a learning experience for everyone as well. I also whipped up my own Banned Books Week Booklist for everyone to enjoy as well.

In my weekly travels, I have also discovered even more book ideas, resources and booklists. Enjoy!

13 Banned and Challenged Books For Kids from No Time for Flashcards

Even Children’s Books are Banned- Banned Book Week from Alohamora

Free printable Banned Books Bookmarks from Classroom Freebies!

What book is your favorite banned book?

 

Looking for better guide for successful homeschooling? The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover how to educate your children in a nurturing and creative environment.
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool.

Grab your copy HERE: The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool. http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT

The post Weekend Links: Great books for Banned Books Week appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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This past weekend, I got the chance to attend the Decatur Book Festival.

At first I was going to take copious notes of the author panels so I could give a summary of the total goodness that happened but then I just got caught up and just couldn’t keep up with all the fabulous that I was hearing and seeing.

So instead I will share with you the books from the authors I met and who were featured at this year’s festival. So much book love! These authors were so gracious. I didn’t get all my books signed but hopefully my paths will cross with them in the future.

You may find some good book recommendations to include in your To-Be-Read (TBR) list.

The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson
Balm by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Simon vs. The Home Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaiporta and Dhonielle Clayton
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

The Living by Matt De La Pena
Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older

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It’s time for Weekend Links! This is my chance to share the best-of-the-best in regards to bookish fun and resources that I have encountered over the course of the week. This week I stumbled upon a bounty of booklists just for our boy readers. Some of these are excellent! Enjoy

9 Thrilling Book Series for Teen Boys That They Won’t Be Able To Put Down  via @brainpowerboy

10 BEST Middle Grade Books for Boys –  via Written Reality (@MitziCSmith)

50+ Amazing Adventure Chapter Books for Boys  via @JennyEvolution

The Mighty Boy Reading List: Ages 9-12 at I Think we Could be Friends.

Wacky Books for Reluctant Readers –  via @imaginationsoup

40 MORE Books for Boys at the Milk and Cookies Blog

The Ultimate Book List For Boys at The Modest Mom Blog

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Do your young readers love nature and all of nature’s critters? Experience the magical story of a family of foxes that took up residence right in the front yard of the author and publisher, Valarie Budayr. The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden offers an enthusiastically educational opportunity to observe this fox family grow and learn together.

From digging and hunting to playing and resting, this diary shares a rare glimpse into the private lives of Momma Rennie and her babies. Come watch as they navigate this wildly dangerous but still wonderful world. Great to share with your children or students, The Fox Diaries speaks to the importance of growing and learning both individually and as a family unit. It is a perfect book for story time or family sharing. Not only can you read about the daily rituals of this marvelous fox family, there is an information-packed resource section at the end of the book that includes lots of facts and even a few “fox movies” that you can enjoy with your family. Grab your copy of this beautiful and inspiring book HERE.

The post Weekend Links: Awesome Booklists for Boys appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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I’m happy about this positive review for The Fall in the July issue of Booklist.

Thank you, Teri Lesesne!

Money quote:

“Readers will put this puzzle together, eager to see whether Sam ultimately accepts his role in Morgan’s death, and wanting to see the whole story of what one person could have, and should have, done for Morgan. Pair this with Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why (2007).”

I’ll take it!

Here’s the whole shebang:

The Fall. Preller, James (Author)

Sep 2015. 256 p. Feiwel and Friends, hardcover, $16.99. (9780312643010).

Sam Proctor is just an ordinary guy, neither an athlete nor a scholar. He goes with the flow, which is why he was part of the gang who piled on a girl named Morgan. A few comments on her home page, some name calling—it was harmless, right? But the taunts and posts grew uglier until Morgan stepped off the town’s water tower and killed herself. Sam now wonders about his culpability. At first, he rationalizes: he wasn’t the worst of the bullies, and it’s not like he pushed her off the edge. In short, episodic chapters, Preller provides readers with a rare glimpse into the mind of a bully (though Sam would never admit he is one). The pace is fast, yet the story unfolds slowly, one piece at a time. Readers will put this puzzle together, eager to see whether Sam ultimately accepts his role in Morgan’s death, and wanting to see the whole story of what one person could have, and should have, done for Morgan. Pair this with Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why (2007). — Teri Lesesne

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Welcome to WEEK 5 of my Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series! This is my way of inspiring parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer. All of our protagonists are girls or women and most of our showcased authors are women as well. I will be offering up a combination of themed weeks, great novels, booklist giveaways, and blog post recaps so be sure and stop by to discover more wonderful ways have A Book-jumper Summer while Exploring Our World and Beyond!

If you’re just tuning in, there are some great summer reading booklists here and here.

Wangari Maathai is one of my favorite people. The first time I discovered her was through this beautiful picture book called Mama Miti. Since then I’ve had the occasion to read about her several times, follow her Nobel Peace Prize award, and watch her green movement progress. Earlier this year I wrote a review of another book entitled Wangari Maathai by Franck Prevost for Women’s History month. To her people she is known as Mother of the Trees. However you come to know Wangari Maathai, I’m quite certain that you will be inspired by her story and determination to save her country.

 

Donna Jo Napoli tells the inspiring story of Wangari Maathai, the woman who planted trees.

 

On the highlands of Africa,

Near the forests and plains and a hue salt lick,

Wangari was born. The face of

Mount Kenya smiled down on her.

People told stories of how in the old days

Sometimes the sun shone too bright too long,

And droughts came. Creatures suffered.

Plants wilted. People fought.

So men held ceremonies under the mugumo

The spreading sacred fig tree

And the skies blessed them with shimmering rains

 to slake their thirst and water their farms.

Village elders placed staffs from the

Thigi tree between angry men,

And enemies became friends

Wangari listened to these stories. That’s how she came to love and respect trees. Excerpt from the book Mama Miti.

She was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace prize. In her own garden she planted trees to be able to have fruits, shade, and to refresh her spirit.  She was also a very wise and educated, being the first woman with a doctorate in Africa.  Other women would come to her with their problems.  Each time she would tell them how strong they were and then give them a tree seedling which would be the answer to their problem.

Seed by seed, woman by woman the Kenyan countryside was filled with trees. Kenya had been changed one tree at a time.

 

Donna Jo Napoli is a brillant storyteller who invites us to admire Wangari Maathai but also to follow her example and take action as “Keepers of the Earth.”

Honoring the women who saved their country by planting trees, Kadir Nelson’s stunning and colorful artwork brings the story to life with his multi-textured collages.

Something To Do:

It’s very simple …..let’s plant some trees. Each person on this planet needs 15 trees per year to have enough oxygen to live. A few years ago we planted a fruit orchard. By doing so we now are getting lovely fruits to eat from spring through fall. This year we will add to the orchard but we will also take part in planting in our greenbelt area here.

A group that absolutely supports planting trees is the Arbor Day Foundation. If you don’t have room to plant the trees yourself, have a fund-raiser and let people like this restore forests. Let me know what you are planting. I would love to see them.

**Some of these links are affiliate links. The opinions expressed are purely my own.

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Looking for more ways to not only get your youngsters reading, but get them OUTSIDE as well? Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE! http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX

The post The BookJumper Summer Reading Series: Mama Miti appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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Welcome to Weekend Links! This is my chance to share what I consider some of my my ‘top finds’ that I have discovered over the course of the week. This week there was a plethora of delightful and timely booklists for kids that are just in time for summer reading. Enjoy!

21 Picture Books with Diverse Characters from Erica at What Do We Do All Day.

Children’s Books About Being Different at Cutting Tiny Bites

Read and Learn About Mexico at Planet Smarty Pants

Thirteen FUN Geography Books for Kids @edsnapshots

Kids Books About Telling the Truth  by @artsy_momma

20 Kids Crafts & Activities Inspired by Books at KCEdventures

12+ Books about Botany for Kids at Study at Home Mama

Best Books for Middle School  at Research Parent

Top 10 Roald Dahl Book List ~ With Go-Along Activities @Creekside-Learning

Over 20 Children’s Books about Weather (Fiction and Nonfiction) @buggyandbuddy

The Spring Sale has been EXTENDED! I have two of my most popular books on a super special sale until May 31st!

The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May 31st, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT

Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX

 

The post Weekend Links: Great Booklists that are Just in Time for Summer Reading appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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International Children’s Book Day is celebrated every 2 April, inspiring children to pick up a book and get reading!

April the 2nd was chosen to mark this day for young literature lovers as it’s the same date as Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, the author of many famous children’s stories like The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.

Organised by the International Board on Books For Young People, or IBBY, the aim is to promote books and reading to young people.  IBBY was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1953 and today there are 70 National Sections from all parts of the world.

During International Children’s Book Day there will be a number of events held around the world, including writing competitions and talks from famous authors and illustrators.

It’s no secret how much I love children’s book and especially those books celebrating diversity within it’s pages. It just seemed fitting that I ferret out the best booklists I could find on the subject and share them here with you in honor of this important day. AND…I want to give a readers the gift of being able to but their own books so I am also celebrating with this $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!! (more details in a bit).

books about race and multiculturalism from HelloBee

At the The Logonauts: Multicultural Nonfiction Picture Books

At Delightful Children’s Books-Read Around the World

 

At All Done Moneky- Children’s Books About Friendship Around the World

The Educators’ Spin On It: Diverse Books in Your Home Library: Parenting Global Kids

A HUGE collection of  Multicultural Children’s Book reviews, activities and blog can be found posts on the Multicultural Children’s Book Day blog!

Giveaway Time! One lucky winner will win a $50 Amazon Gift card to put towards building their own wonderful library!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

ONE winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift card. Giveaway begins April 2nd-April 10th

• ONE lucky winner will win one Amazon $50 Gift Card
• Must be 18 years or older to enter
• One entry per household.
• Staff and family members of Audrey Press are not eligible.
• Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
• Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on April 11, 2015

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post April 2nd is International Children’s Book Day #ReadYourWorld Giveaway appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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Booklist's February 2015 issue is titled "Spotlight on Multicultural Literature." The feature article is online. Written by Sarah Hunter, the article opens with:

It’s no secret that children’s publishing has a problem. Numerous venues, from the New York Times to Twitter, have rightfully brought to light the significant disparity in the representation of diversity in kids’ books. So what can librarians do, both immediately and in the long term, to make things better?

McChesney and Medlar similarly note, “These conversations may ‘feel’ uncomfortable to a librarian, but they are important to our kids and [they] help them gain power as both consumers and critics.” If librarians allow themselves the room to make mistakes, and openly and humbly accept feedback, they should be able to help create change, even it if is incremental rather than overnight.

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So far this month has been jam-packed with insightful education, Booklists, Activities and Resources for Kids and parents interested in raising global citizens.  I would like to share them this weekend as my Weekend Links Round-up. Enjoy!

JIAB favorite Marie’s Pastiche and family is in the midst of a virtual travel to West Africa. This sight has delighted me all month with wonderful posts sharing info about this country, their culture, the festivals, cook and eat traditional foods, learn of traditional handicrafts with hands on exploration and many activities. This week she had a wonderful post on Anansi Stories – Trickster Tales from West Africa.

Crystal’s Tiny Treasures offered up a wonderful Native American Book inspired review and giveaway and an excellent link-up!

Feel like learning about  The Dances of India? Check out this post at Crafty Moms Share: Dances of India Book Review

Home School Life Journal spent some time this week exploring Western India with a yummy recipe and some breathtaking images.

Mommy Maleta has a post as well that is near-and-dear to my heart: Exploring Lebanon

 

As you all may know, November is Native American Heritage Month and Leanna from All Done Monkey created a wonderfulChildren’s Books about the Cherokee booklist.

 

FREE GIFT FROM JIAB!

“Conditions of the Heart” is a FREE kids activity book filled with fun activities & crafts that teaches values and conduct. Grab your copy HERE:

Need gift ideas for Christmas? Give the gift of education and guidance with Donna Ashton’s The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook Now available through Audrey Press Books!

The post Weekend Links: Discovering Our World appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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November is Native American Heritage Month! Native American Heritage Month evolved from the efforts of various individuals at the turn of the 20th century who tried to get a day of recognition for Native Americans. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush approved a resolution that appointed November as Native American Heritage Month. You can learn more about Native American Heritage Month here.

For many years, Native people were silenced and their stories were set aside, hidden, or drowned out. That’s why it’s especially important to read stories about Native characters, told in Native voices. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with these great books by Native writers:

Biographies

Quiet Hero by S.D. Nelson – Ira Hayes grew up on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona. When he was in his late teens, World War II raged, and Ira Hayes joined the Marine corps. Eventually they were sent to the tiny Japanese island of Iwo Jima, where a chance event and an extraordinary photograph catapulted Ira to national awareness and transformed his life forever. 

Crazy Horse’s Vision by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by S.D. Nelson – Crazy Horse, whose childhood nickname was “Curly,” defies traditional custom and risks his own life by running away, up to the hills, to seek a vision.

Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by S.D. Nelson –  While Jim Thorpe struggled at school, he excelled at sports. He later went on to win several Olympic medals.

Fiction

Home to Medicine Mountain by Chiori Santiago, illustrated by Judith Lowry – Two Native American brothers are sent to a strict, government-run boarding school. There, they are forced to speak English and to unlearn their Native American ways. Inspired by their dreams of home and the memories of their grandmother’s stories, the boys embark on an adventurous journey from the harsh residential school to their home in Susanville, California.

Sky Dancers by Connie Ann Kirk, illustrated by Christy Hale – John Cloud’s father is in New York City, far away from their Mohawk Reservation, building sky scrapers. One day, Mama takes John to New York City and he sees his Papa high on a beam, building the Empire State Building.

Kiki’s Journey by Kristy Orona-Ramirez, illustrated by Jonathan Warm Day –  Kiki is a city girl that calls Los Angeles her home. Her family left the Taos Pueblo reservation when she was a baby, so it doesn’t feel like home. How will it feel to revisit the reservation?

 

Stories for Teens

Rattlesnake Mesa by EdNah New Rider Weber, photographs by Richela Renkun – When EdNah’s beloved grandmother dies, she is sent to live on a Navajo reservation with a father she barely knows. Once EdNah finds herself getting used to her new life, she is sent to a strict government-run Indian boarding school.

Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac – When Luke King’s father, a black ops infiltrator, goes missing, Luke realizes his life will never be the same again. Luke sets out to search for his father, all the while trying to avoid the attention of the school’s mysterious elite clique of Russian hipsters, who seem much too interested in his own personal secret

Killer of Enemies by Joseph Bruchac – In a future where technology has failed, Lozen has been gifted with a unique set of abilities magic and survival skills that she uses to hunt monsters for the people who kidnapped her family. As the legendary Killer of Enemies was in the ancient days of the Apache people, Lozen is meant to be a more than a hunter. Lozen is meant to be a hero.

Rose Eagle by Joseph Bruchac – Several years before Killer of Enemies, the Lakota are forced to mine ore for the Ones, their overlords. Rose Eagle’s aunt has a vision of Rose as a healer. She sends Rose on a quest to find healing for their people.

 

What other books by Native American authors and illustrators do you recommend?

 

 

Filed under: Book Lists by Topic, Diversity 102, Diversity, Race, and Representation, Lee & Low Likes, Race Tagged: book list, booklist, Crazy Horse, diversity, Ira Hayes, Jim Thorpe, Joseph Bruchac, Lee & Low Books, Native American, native american heritage month, Tu Books

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The National Program Registry opens for Día on November 1st, so make sure to mark your calendars! The registry serves two purposes. First, your library will be recognized as participating in the El día de los niños/El día de los libros events on April 30, 2015. Additionally, by joining the registry, your library’s program will be part of a national searchable database in which other librarians can peruse your program ideas, get inspired, and hopefully design their own programs around diversity in literature. As a bonus, the registry also increases your library’s publicity and gives you some bragging rights.

I regularly check ALA’s Día website for program ideas, book lists, book club kit ideas, and free downloads. It’s where you can register your 2015 program and become part of the growing Día community. The Día booklist this year will have a STEAM focus, providing enticing possibilities of integrating STEAM content into your programs, displays, or book clubs. The booklist will be out in December, and I’m already anticipating it. I have in mind several STEAM-related programs or displays, including a scientist display honoring minorities in the field; a program on using technology to discover your own unique background and heritage (genealogy); and a program using blown-up prints of various engineering feats for children to guess which counties or persons designed them. The possibilities are endless!

Don’t forget that there are mini-grants available this year. You can check out more information on how to apply for one, and the approaching deadline, via the Día website or the Día Facebook Page. In previous years, libraries across the country have hosted everything from poetry readings, border dances, festivals and food tastings as Día events. We can’t wait to see what you all come up with for 2015! Start thinking about Día now. Remember to put your program in the database so we can all be amazed at what you’re doing for your diverse and dynamic communities!

Reminder! ALSC is now accepting mini-grant applications for libraries through the Día initiative. Mini-grants will be used to initiate a Building STEAM with Día program in libraries. Up to 20 mini-grants will be awarded at $1,500 each. Applications are due Friday, October 17 at 5pm Central.

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Emily Scherrer is the Library Administrator for Sierra Vista Public Library, Arizona and is writing this post for the Public Awareness Committee. As a librarian living and working in a “border town,” she is a big advocate for diverse programming and collections.  You can contact her at [email protected]

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On this day in 1858, Buterfield and Company agreed to carry the mail out west starting in Missouri and ending in California. The 2800 mile Westward journey would take 24 days. The mail was delivered twice weekly using overland coaches, mules and horses.

Two years later, with the threat of the Civil War looming, the need for faster communication to the West was created.

Today we felt like celebrating the first ever cross country mail delivery and a bit of American itself with a look at the Pony Express.

The Pony Express consisted of relays of men riding horses carrying saddlebags of mail across a 2000-mile trail. The service opened officially on April 3, 1860, when riders left simultaneously from St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. The first westbound trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours and the eastbound journey in 11 days and 12 hours. The pony riders covered 250 miles in a 24-hour day.

Eventually, the Pony Express had more than 100 stations, 80 riders, and between 400 and 500 horses. The express route was extremely hazardous, but only one mail delivery was ever lost. The service lasted only 19 months until October 24, 1861, when the completion of the Pacific Telegraph line ended the need for its existence.

The Pony Express Booklist

Off Like the Wind!! The First Ride of the Pony Express by Michael Spradin Illustrated by Layne Johnson {for grades 3-5}

Whatever Happened to the Pony Express by Verla Kay for {grades 2-4}

Hoof Beats of Danger: American Girl History Mysteries by Holly Hughes for {grades 3-6}

Riders of the Pony Express by Ralph Moody for {grades 7+}

Black Storm Comin’ by Diane Lee Wilson for {grades 6+}

The Sweetwater Run: The Story of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Pony Express by Andres Glass

Wanted: A Few Bold Riders by Darice Bailer

Somethings to Do

Want to know more about the Pony Express ? Have a look here. There are many fun activities to do such as stamp making and a communications game to play as well as print outs and word games.

Map Out the Pony Express

**Some of these links are affiliate links

Now Available! The newest children’s book from Audrey Press. Click the image below for more details.

A Year in the Secret Garden.

 

The post A Pony Express Book List and Some Things To Do appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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I am feeling quite blessed today to have one of my favorite young authors and bloggers join us for the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza! Erik Weibel blogs at This Kid Reviews Books and is the author of The Adventures of Tomato and Pea. Welcome, Erik!

 

Peter Lerangis’ Seven Wonder series had been on my To Be Read list for too long! Last month I made it a point to read the three books out in this series.

Series Overview: Jack McKinley is going to die when he turns 14. He is told that when he is 13. Jack meets 3 other kids (Aly, Cass, and Marco) with the same fate. Together, Jack and his new friends realize they have a chance to not die. Jack and the others are Selects – kids with a strange gene called G7W that lets them access more parts of their brain at the same time that everyday people can’t normally access regularly. Right now, it only enhances the Selects’ natural abilities (like Cass’s photographic memory) and causes them to die around age 14. To permanently live, (until a normal death, of course) the Selects must find the 7 Loculi – 7 stone orbs with magical powers. Unfortunately, the Loculi are at the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World – of which only one still stands (The Great Pyramid of Giza).
WHY HAVE I WAITED SO LONG TO READ THIS SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Book III – The Tomb of Shadows
By Peter Lerangis
352 pages – ages 8+
Published by HarperCollins on May 13, 2014

Summary: Jack, Cass, and Aly, along with their allies at the Karai Institute (KI) (a group devoted to finding the Loculi and finding a cure to G7W) have 2 of the Loculi. Marco has deserted the group to join the evil Massa – a group against the Karai Institute. Jack has evidence that his mother is actually alive, that she faked her death, and has joined the Massa. The Massa have taken over the KI’s Island Base on the remains of Atlantis. Things are looking bleak for the Select. They must go to the land of the dead to get another Loculi (it’s at the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is a gateway to the underworld), but one of the KI team must be sacrificed to get in…
THIS WAS AN AMAZING BOOK!!! It was full of adventure and excitement and mystery! Mr. Lerangis gives you a plot so good that it draws you in, and then he twists it until you can’t leave until that last sentence. Jack is a great main character whom you come to care for. He is an ordinary kid shoved into extraordinary circumstances. I am somewhat jealous about the superpowers, but I am glad that I won’t die by age 14 (well, at least not by G7W). Mr. Lerangis has me hooked into the world of the 7 Loculi! I feel like I’m there as I learn about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World – most of which I had no idea about. I really enjoy reading this series. I would recommend this book to any kid looking for a great adventure story with a great plot and setting!
I give this book 6 out of 5 stars!

Erik is an twelve-year-old middle schooler that loves to read. He started his blog, This Kid Reviews Books when he was nine. Erik writes a monthly book review column for a local free newspaper. He has a black belt in TaeKwon-Do and in his spare time enjoys building things out of LEGOs. He hopes to be an inventor and a published author when he grows up.

***************
Connect with Erik:
blog www.ThisKidReviewsBooks.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Thiskidreviewsbooks
Twitter @ThisKid_Erik

The post TOMB OF SHADOWS (7 Wonders Book III) Guest Post from This Kid Reviews Books appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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The Internet is just a buzzin with planning, thoughts and activity prep for the upcoming summer reason. If you are like me, this time of year when school and is ending and summer is beginning is met with with a mixture of excitement and dread. Excitement for all the fun family plans, adventures and travel you may be working on, but also dread for the time of year when reading activity slides and our young ones are easily bored stiff.

As usual, I have seen a ton of great activities, booklists and suggestions from other bloggers and I’d like to share my favorites with you today. I would also like to share and remind readers of some of the top booklists and summer reading activities that have appeared right here on JIAB, and post that will Build a Summer Reading List So Kids Can Discover our World. Enjoy!

We’ve done a whole series called Read Around the Continents over the course of these last 12 months and these blog posts are chocked full of great book suggestions about different cultures and continents:

 

Read Around the Continents: North America/United States 

Read Around The Continents: Eastern Europe

Read Around The Continents: Australia/Oceania Reading List

Read Around The Continents: 24 Children’s Books About Western Europe

 

Speaking of Global Booklists…here’s an awesome one!

Crafty Moms Share: Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Lots of great booklist ideas!

I see a few favorites on here, how about you? ‘37 Children’s Books that Changed People’s Lives’ by Riffle Childrens.

 

A Mighty Girl Heroes: Inspiring the Next Generation of History Makers has a list of great books featuring Mighty Girls.

27 Vintage Books Every Child Should Read from No Time for Flash Cards.

Summer Reading Tree: Forming “Roots” for Motivated Readers

Summer Reading Tree- 15 Green Books for Kids

 

The A-Z Summer Reading Tree: 26 Ways To Encourage Reading This Summer

25 Books That Diversify Kids’ Reading Lists This Summer via @Mind Shift

What good summer reads have you found?

The post WEEKEND LINKS-Build a Summer Reading List So Kids Can Discover our World appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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Looking for new diverse books for your collection? We’re doing a webinar this afternoon at 2:00 pm EST with Booklist and several diverse publishers – don’t miss it! Sign up free here.

It’s going to be great!

Filed under: Diversity Links, DiYA, Resources, The Diversity Gap Tagged: booklist, diverse books, diversity, groundwood books, lorimer books, multicultural books, tuttle publishing, webinar

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When her unexpected death from cancer was announced in 2012, the national outpouring of grief over the loss of Sally Ride was swift and genuine. The subsequent obituary revelation that Ride was a lesbian in a committed relationship for more than a quarter-century was proof of how successfully the icon had guarded her personal life. With the full cooperation of Ride's family and friends, both inside and outside of NASA (including ex-husband and fellow astronaut Steve Hawley), author Sherr pores over Ride's life, from her tennis-star childhood to her college years in the male-dominated field of physics and meteoric rise as America's first woman in space. As familiar as readers believe themselves to be with Ride's story, Sherr has done an impressive job of uncovering the pressures (and sometimes comical missteps) of NASA's macho culture and its approach to the first class of women astronauts, the unparalleled commitment Ride brought to her job, and the zeal with which she embraced her later challenge to broaden science opportunities for girls. This is an intimate and enormously appealing biography of a fascinating woman, a triumph of research and sensitivity that lives up to its subject and will likely move readers to tears in its final, poignant pages.

YA/General Interest: Ride will always be first, famous, and fascinating. With much of the book dwelling on her youth (she was an astronaut at 27), this is an excellent choice for teens.

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Today, as I worked on the Going Over launch presentation, I learned that the book has received a five-star review from Common Sense Media.

Parents need to know that Beth Kephart's Going Over portrays harsh experiences on both sides of the Berlin Wall in the early 1980s: political oppression, of course, along with murder, rape, depression, and domestic abuse. Though the violence is described in small details and references, it's gut-wrenching and emotionally difficult. Yet the overall tone of the story is of strength and hope. It's an intense, absorbing read that shows how the personal and political can be fused together, and how small, personal acts can have life-changing implications for many people. Teens who stick with the challenging prose will be richly rewarded with a unique, passionate story illuminating a fascinating time and place.

This news joins the news I received late last week that Booklist had named Going Over a Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth.

The sort of news that matters so deeply to writers like me.

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* Once upon a time, aviator Eddie Rickenbacker was the most famous man in America, the kind of hero that songs were written about and schoolchildren dreamed of emulating. In this entertaining biography, historian Ross (War on the Run, 2009) returns to the dawn of the twentieth century, when cars and aircraft burst onto the scene. Aviation aficionados and war buffs will expect Ross to focus on Rickenbacker's WWI flying-ace achievements; instead, he takes a long look at the aviator's early success in the automotive field as both a brilliant mechanic ("Put simply, engines have always talked to me," Rickenbacker explained) and a daring race-car driver. Drawing heavily on his subject's interviews and writings, while also noting areas of his personal life that Rickenbacker publicly fabricated (most notably his father's life and death), Ross peppers the text with quotes that place readers right alongside the ace through nearly every moment of his life. Obviously this is exciting material to work with--after all, Rickenbacker was a man who drove in the first Indy 500 and dueled with the Red Baron's flying circus--but Ross is never fawning in this thoroughly enjoyable and downright rollicking read.

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