Mish-Mash Monday seems an appropriate title for these non-fiction books... they certainly don't "go" together, but they're great books non-the-less and deserve special recognition!
Obama, Barack.Our Enduring Spirit: President Barack Obama's First Words to America.
September 2009.
Review Copy provided courtesy of: HarperCollins Publishers
The election of Barack Obama to Presidential Office marked a turning point in American history. For those of us old enough to recall watching and understanding that important inaugural address, it will be a day to remember for years to come - a true first in American history. Despite the excitement that many children shared about an African American being elected to office, I tend to believe that they will remember the hullabaloo, but not so much the incredible inaugural speech that was given on that cold January day.
Given that it's a day we'll want to be able to share with children, this book is absolutely perfect! It depicts Obama as a man proud to be named President of the United States... proud to have the chance to try and change the direction of which our country was headed... and a man who wishes to make sure that life is as meaningful for ourselves as it his for himself. Bits and pieces of Obama's inaugural address to the Nation are shared here, in collaboration with illustrations that allow children to draw connections between the text and themselves. I am so glad to have this book to add to my collection that I must send a special thanks to my friend Jana at HarperCollins for passing this my way!
Bauer, Patricia.B is for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet.
April 2009.
Review Copy provided courtesy of: Sleeping Bear Press.
This book is so perfect for a 4th grade classroom here in New York that I must say I'm disappointed that I wasn't aware of it 4 years ago when I was completing my student teaching in that grade level! There is so much to teach children about the Civil War... from the basics (Confederate Troops and the Union troops) to the more obscure, less mentioned details of the war (letters expressing sentiments from home and war, and the different battles that were part of the war). This book allows teachers an opportunity to decide what they feel are the most important details and to use the alphabet pages in their own way to determine how much to share with students. So glad to have this to add to my shelf... even if I don't wind up in a 4th grade classroom here in NY, children seem to be drawn to the concept of war and battles, so I'm sure this will be a welcome addition to my ever-building (someday) classroom library!
If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.
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