Perfect Picture Book Friday: I DISSENT: Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark

Posted on October 7, 2016 by viviankirkfield

OCTOBER is National Bully Prevention Month. Next week is International Day of the Girl Child. And today is Bald and Free Day. (For a detailed list of EVERY wacky and not-so-wacky special day in October, click here.

Bald and Free Day might not apply to all of us, but the first two definitely need to be uppermost in our minds, as parents, educators, and writers. And today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday selection is a Mighty Girl book that addresses both. For more wonderful picture book reviews and activities, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.

I DISSENT: RUTH BADER GINSBURG MAKES HER MARK

Written by Debbie Levy

Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley

Publisher: Simon and Schuster (2016)

Ages: 4-8

Themes:

Gender discrimination, women’s rights, self-worth

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—in the first picture book about her life—as she proves that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable!

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG, tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements.

Opening Lines:

“You could say that Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s life was one disagreement after another.”

Why I like this book:

A mighty girl book about a woman who refused to accept the role that society handed her – and she used her dissent and disagreement in a constructive way.
I love that the story begins when she is a child…and we see how supportive her mother was and how growing up surrounded by books was such a positive influence on her life.
Fabulous text…language is so powerful…and lots of action.
Incredible illustrations…and I love how the words of ‘dissention’ are set apart and bolded.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Most kids love to listen to a story. But we can extend the learning by discussing and asking questions or participating in follow up activities. You and your child can:

Draw a picture of a favorite character or scene from the story. Mount it on cardboard and cut into pieces to make a puzzle.
Make a list of special words from the book. Older children can construct a word find puzzle.
Think of a different ending.

Here are some other ideas: http://www.kumon.com/resources/20-things-to-do-before-and-after-you-read-to-your-children/

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.

Monday is Columbus Day…and my grandson’s 8^th birthday…I bought him a pile of…you guessed it…chapter books…went to our local indie bookstore and lost myself there for a couple of hours. I was going to take a photo of all of the books, but I had to leave them there until Monday…they are having a 25% off sale for educators and retired educators. I love our local bookstore…I walked in and the manager said,”Oh, do you have another book coming out?” Indie bookstores support the community and local authors…let’s keep them strong and vibrant.

For Jeremy’s birthday, are going to an indoor skydiving facility…this grandma is just going to watch…I did the actual skydive a few years ago…it was so much fun…but once was definitely enough: Click here if you’d like to see this daredevil jump out of a perfectly good airplane. (if you do go to the link, there should be a space for my email: viviankirkfield@gmail.com and my zip code: 03031…at least that’s what it asks me. http://www.lifepursuitvideo.com/asppublic/Video60520.aspx?VF=46836#.V_gdOOArKCz

Thank you so much for stopping by…I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

PPBF: Separate Is Never Equal

Posted on September 30, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Can you believe this is the LAST DAY OF SEPTEMBER?

A couple of weeks ago, I promised that at the end of the month, I would give away a copy of my parent-teacher book in celebration of National Library Card Sign Up Month. Thank you to all who commented on that post. And the winner is

JEN BAGAN

Congratulations, Jen…I will be in touch to get your mailing address.

For me, September always meant the start of a new school year…as a kid, I always loved the first day. My sister and I each got a new outfit and a shiny new pair of shoes. And I looked forward to seeing my friends after the long summer.

But even though the main character of today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday pick has a shiny new pair of shoes, her first day of school is not going well.

SEPARATE IS NEVER EQUAL: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation

Written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers (2014)

Ages: 6-9

Themes:

Discrimination, desegregation, bullying

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a “Whites only” school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.

Opening Lines:

“Sylvia had on her black shoes. They were shiny new.”

Why I like this book:

One of my favorite nonfiction picture books of 2014, this story is written and illustrated by the amazing Duncan Tonatiuh who is going to be our December Will Write for Cookies guest!!! And I’ll be reviewing his NEWEST book that month, The Princess and the Warrior. PLUS…there will be a giveaway of one of Duncan’s books!
Powerful text combines perfectly with bold distinctive illustrations.
Wonderful springboard for discussions on discrimination, segregation, and equality…and also bullying.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Interview and read aloud with Duncan Tonituah: https://youtu.be/n7-kzJVcOUw
A teacher’s guide – grades 1-5: https://laii.unm.edu/outreach/common/educators-guides/2015-Americas-Award.pdf
Book trailer: https://youtu.be/KlyGKQdPePQ

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on here name and find an archived page of over 1000 picture book posts with activities. Click here for this week’s new reviews.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

PPBF: Mountain Chef

Posted on September 23, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Hurray…autumn is here! I love the scarlet and gold of New England’s fall foliage. The cool crisp mornings and the warm sunny afternoons remind me of the vacations I’ve taken at many of our country’s incredible National Parks where even in the middle of the summer, the mornings can be really chilly because you are at a high altitude.

Have you been to any of our National Parks? Yosemite is the one featured in today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday selection. If you’d like to see more of this week’s Perfect Picture Book reviews, please visit Susanna Hill’s blog.

I’m really excited to review this brand-new book—I just connected with the author, Annette Bay Pimentel…and guess what? I’ll be interviewing her for Will Write for Cookies next October!

MOUNTAIN CHEF: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service

Written by Annette Bay Pimentel

Illustrated by Rich Lo

Publisher: Charlesbridge (2016)

Ages: 5-9

Themes:

Discrimination, conservation, National Parks, cooking, ingenuity

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

The true story of a Chinese American mountain man who fed thirty people for ten days in the wilderness–and helped inspire the creation of the National Park Service.

Tie Sing was born in the mountains. The mountains were in his blood. But because he was of Chinese descent at a time in America when to be Chinese meant working in restaurants or laundries, Tie Sing’s prospects were limited. But he had bigger plans. He began cooking for mapmakers and soon built a reputation as the best trail cook in California.

When millionaire Stephen Mather began his quest to create a national park service in 1915, he invited a group of influential men—writers, tycoons, members of Congress, and even a movie star—to go camping in the Sierras. Tie Sing was hired to cook.

Tie Sing planned diligently. He understood the importance of this trip. But when disaster struck—twice—and Tie Sing’s supplies were lost, it was his creative spirit and quick mind that saved the day. His sumptuous menus had to be struck and Tie Sing had to start over in order to feed the thirty people in the group for ten whole days. His skills were tested and Tie Sing rose to the challenge.

On the last night, he fed not just the campers’ bodies, but also their minds, reminding them to remember and protect the mountains.

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, created by Congress on August 25, 1916.

Today, you can hike to Sing Peak, named for Tie Sing, in Yosemite National Park.

Opening Lines:

Tie Sing was a frontier baby, born high in the mountains in Virginia City, Nevada. Growing up, he breathed crisp Sierra air and scuffed through sagebrush. He learned to write in both English and Chinese.

Why I like this book:

I love unknown gems of history uncovered by writers who weave great picture book stories for kids.
This story has so many different levels…National Parks, racial discrimination, conservation, cooking, ingenuity, courage…parents and teachers can use it as a springboard for many different discussions.
Wonderful illustrations that help you feel you are camping right alongside Tie Sing.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

This summer was the 100^th anniversary of the National Park System: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/index.htm

If you have a National Park in your area, why not plan a day trip. When we lived in Colorado, we often drove 2+ hours to get to Rocky Mountain National Park…in the summer, we’d fish…in the fall, we’d stroll around Estes Park, the town right at one of the park’s entrances, where elk would walk up and down the streets…and in winter, we’d go up for a weekend and stay at one of the local lodges in the park…to snowshoe and cross country ski during the day and soak in the outdoor hot tub in the evening.