Archive for History

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

Written by Lindsay Mattick
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Winnie-the-Pooh was real? Actually, the bear he was named after was real. This story written by Lindsay Mattick, is the truth behind the bear and his name. Lindsay is the great granddaughter of one of the main characters in the whole affair, Captain Harry Coleburn.

It seems a young Canadian vet headed off to war, saw a trapper with a bear cub and offered to buy it from him for $20, which really was a lot of money back then. The young vet kept the bear, trained it, so to speak, and named it Winnie, short for Winnipeg, to help the fellows in his unit from becoming too homesick. The bear was their mascot and traveled with them until it became too dangerous. Then he was donated to the London zoo, where he was often visited by a young boy named Christopher Robin Milne. Christopher took such a liking to Winnie that he went home and named his stuffed bear, Winnie. Well, we all know what happened then.

The story is told through beautiful lyrical language as, “the train rolled through dinner…”, and difficult to grasp philosophy, “sometimes one story must end so another can begin.” It includes humor and heartbreak, but most stunningly, the truth.

The watercolor illustrations are wonderfully done to realistically show children what soldiers training for the First World War looked like and how they lived. The back of the book is a collection of real photographs of the men, the bear, and even the journal in which Harry, the vet, kept his notes. The format reminds one of the many American Heritage Girl books, which were among the first to put a story at the front and the nonfiction correlation in the back. The illustrations are so stunning, they won the Caldecott Medal for this wonderful book.

Core curriculum standards can be attained by teachers and librarians in the areas of literacy, geography and history. It is wonderful book for teachers of writing to use as an illustration of how authors use the things around them every day in creation of stories. Children, parents, and grandparents alike will delight in getting to know a little bit more about their own favorite pooh bear,

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  • Finding WinnieTitle: Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear
  • Author: Lindsay Mattick
  • Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
  • Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2015.
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format: Hardcover, 56 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0316324908
  • Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book
  • Grade level: K to 1
  • Extras: photographs of the real people, real bear and the journal entries

Bird & Diz

Written by Gary Golio
Illustrated by Ed Young

The look and set up for this fun book are perfect to give the feel for the music called bebop. When Charlie “Bird” Parker and John “Dizzy” Gillespie performed “Salt Peanuts” and their many other creations, they were more concerned about the mood than the form. The never-ending fold out of these pages gives the reader impression they are there when Diz plays his trumpet and Bird wails on his sax. Bebop is a heartbeat with fireworks, a roller coaster where the musicians chase each other. The illustrations make you want the music to go on forever.

First graders will want to review the pages many times, increasing their literacy skills and comprehension. Noting that bebop was about innovation and having fun makes the music history come alive. The back matter in the Afterword gives a good start for further exploration and encourages artistic expression in all its forms.

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  • Bird & DizTitle: Bird & Diz
  • Author: Gary Golio
  • Illustrator: Ed Young
  • Publisher: Candlewick, 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 26 pages, novelty
  • Grade Level: PreK to 3
  • Genre: Nonfiction, biography, history, music
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-6660-6

My Grandfather’s Coat

Written by Jim Aylesworth
Illustrated by Barbara McClintock

This retold story based on the old Yiddish folksong, “I Had a Little Overcoat”, has been put into picture books numerous times in recent years. However, this compelling re-telling based on the notion of not wasting anything has added new dimensions. After the material is too small for even a tie, the Grandfather tailor makes it into a toy mouse. Even after that is worn out, it finds a charming new use.

The author and artist notes at the end provide the connection between the folk tale and reality as each of them have family ancestors who were both emigrants and thrifty, resourceful people.

The artist note will also be of help for teachers as Barbara tells readers how she chose where to set the book. She shares information regarding the wedding scene in the book. It was based on the synagogue in Hebron, Connecticut. Art teachers and parents can use this as an example that art comes from real life in many instances.

The short, clear text is rhythmic and will delight silent readers as well as those listening. Children will enjoy guessing what grandfather will make out of the coat each time it wears thin.

Teachers and librarians in the public schools will be able to meet core curriculum standards in reading, literacy, art, geography and history with this beautifully illustrated book. The water colors are soft and inviting. They make the reader comfortable enough to stay awhile to study each detail and still want to return again later to visit grandfather. Everything about the story and the art work speak, not only, about how much grandfather loved the coat; but about how much the little girl loved grandfather.

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  • Title:  My Grandfather’s Coat
  • Author: Jim Aylesworth
  • Illustrator: Barbara McClintock
  • Publisher: Scholastic, 2014
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
  • ISBN:  978-0-439-92545-7
  • Genre: Retold folktale, picture book
  • Grade level: Preschool to 3
  • Extras: Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note. Both tell of their own connection with family immigrations. Also explained are the models for some of the illustrations, such as the synagogue in Hebron, Connecticut.

Someday I’ll Fly

Written and Illustrated by Rebecca Evans

In this poignant story directly out of World War II, the author employs many themes to show the good hearts of the people surrounding Pam. Pam is fascinated by the airplanes that inhabit her father’s air field, but girls aren’t allowed to fly or even work on airplanes. When Pam encounters the pilots of the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs), the prohibitions go out the window. With the help of the WASPs, Pam works on an old plane and studies the math and physics involved. One of the WASPs is stricken with polio and needs an iron lung to breathe. Since it’s wartime and mechanical parts are hard to find, Pam sacrifices parts from her beloved airplane to help complete the breathing machine, saving her friend’s life. Pam knows she has time and that someday she will fly.

The illustrations by Evans have the look and feel of the 1940s. Details such as the wooden-sided red wagon, the mom’s house dress, and the realistic iron lung help that feel. The kitchen cabinets and appliances look right for the time. And the airplanes are certainly right. Even the names are right for the time.

First graders and older can learn about the WWII era, women’s roles, and polio. Literacy and comprehension are enhanced by the lively illustrations.

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  • SomedayTitle: Someday I’ll Fly
  • Author/Illustrator: Rebecca Evans
  • Original Author: Joyce Faulkner
  • Publisher: Red Engine Press, 2014
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 34 pages
  • Genre: Picture book, fiction, history, flying
  • ISBN: 978-1-937958-66-4