Historical Fiction Reviews

 

Cushman, Karen. 2010. Alchemy and Meggy Swann. New York: Clarion Books.

Summary:

In 1573, young Meggy Swann is unceremoniously shipped off by her mother to the dirty, gritty city of London, England and dumped on her distracted and unfeeling alchemist father.  Hampered by a physical handicap, she is unprepared for the hardships of life in this bustling, unsympathetic city and must find her way to function in a strange new world.  Along her way, she changes and learns about survival, courage, friendship and transformation. 

Critical Analysis:

Karen Cushman, a Newbery Honor and Newbery Medal winner for previous works of children’s historical fiction, once again uses extensive research to write a type of bildungsroman set in Elizabethan England about Margret Swann (“Only my friends call me Meggy”), a rather prickly, disabled country girl of 13 who is sent to the city to be cared for by a father she never knew.  She brings with her a goose named “Louise,” who is also lame, and her only friend now that her kindly grandmother has died.  She is forced to live in relative squalor by her distracted alchemist father, who wishes she had been a boy. 

The author uses plenty of descriptions of the clothing (doublets, kirtles, smocks, jerkins) and city descriptions of the era (soot, slime, sewage, noise and heads rotting on spikes), but the reader is primarily taken back in time by the language.  Meggy curses regularly, saying “ye toads and vipers;” “fie upon thee;” and a personal favorite, “go then, you writhled, beetle-brained knave..you churl, you slug, you stony-hearted villain – may onions grow in your ears!”  At times the archaic language is heavy handed, but it does add accuracy to the story and makes the reader feel they are immersed in the time. 

 In the course of the book, Meggy learns ways to find her own food, make friends, navigate the filthy cobblestone streets with crutches and a limp and to help her brusque and distracted father in his alchemy laboratory.  She also uncovers and foils a plot to poison a nobleman and learns a trade that will allow her to survive.  

In spite her unfortunate circumstances, Meggy has spirit and determination and learns to be braver and stronger in the course of the story.  Universal themes of a journey or quest, overcoming adversity, courage, sacrifice and alienation in society are all present in this short book.  Though Meggy struggles daily with many things, at the end of the book she has come so far as to say, “I am not breakable, and I may be stronger than I look.”

The author’s sources for accuracy in the book, from language to clothing to city life, are listed and include six books and three websites.  Her author’s note at the end reveals in a lively style more information about the historical era, science, alchemy, printing, language and the particular birth defect she picked for her character: bilateral hip dysplasia. This defect was chosen for a reason:  in literature, a physical disability is usually a symbol or metaphor representing being different and overcoming a hardship.  

The cover of the book features a painterly style portrait of Meggy, and reflects the Elizabethan era in the medieval style script of the title and Meggy’s clothing.  Some of the themes of the book are shown in the alchemy bottles and equipment, Meggy’s crutches, and the delightful goose, Louise.

The author weaves the theme of transformation neatly into the book, from the quote by Carl Jung at the beginning: (“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed”); the references to alchemy throughout the book; and the final thoughts of Meggy at the end when she realizes how much her life has changed - “Was she so changed?  Just when had that happened, and how?”  In the last scene, she finally has a chance to dance, in her own way, with friends.  She rejoices, “Ye toads and vipers, here was transformation indeed!”

Best Books:

Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth, 2010

Kirkus Best Children’s Books, 2010

School Library Journal Best Books, 2010

VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers

Reviews:

“Cushman brings a distant historical setting, in this case Elizabethan England, to life with evocative details and authentic dialogue.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Meggy is a heroine in mind and deed. Cushman has the uncanny ability to take a time and place so remote and make it live. Readers can hear and see and smell it all as if they are right beside Meggy. She employs the syntax and vocabulary of the period so easily that it is understood as if it's the most contemporary modern slang. A gem.” – Kirkus Reviews

Personal Response:

Spending time in Cushman’s world of Elizabethan England, through the eyes of a young girl, was educational and enlightening.  I appreciated how much research went into the writing of the novel, and am looking forward to reading the Newbury Award winning The Midwife’s Apprentice when I have time.  I also enjoyed the author’s note, especially her explanation of the differences between the uses of thee, thou, ye and you.  

Connections:

This would be a great book to read to a class during the renaissance festivals that many areas host nearby.  It could also be used for descriptions of language, clothing and city life during a unit on Elizabethan England.  And of course, older kids could have fun coming up with their own blistering barbs using the examples of the verbal sparring Meggy and her friend Roger do in the book! 

References

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. N.d. Alchemy and Meggy Swann. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=0&isbn=9780547231846 (accessed November 4, 2013).

Gantos, Jack. 2011. Dead End in Norvelt.  New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Summary:

Jack Gantos, the author and name sake in the book as well, has written an “entirely true and wildly fictional” semi-autobiographical young adult novel about his time growing up in the town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania (named after EleaNOR RooseVELT), during the summer of 1962.  Filled with wacky characters, bits of history, and laugh-out-loud scenes, this novel captures the flavor of the era in a subtle way and reminds us that “history isn’t dead.  It’s everywhere you look.  It’s alive.” 

Critical Analysis:

 Is it a comedy, a mystery, a statement of the consequences of war, or a novel about community, friendship, and the importance of history?  It’s actually all of that, and more.  Jack Gantos (Jackie only to his mom), is a 13 year old boy living in the dying town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania in 1962, whose vacation gets off to a bad start when he accidentally fires a real bullet from his  father’s old WWII rifle and gets grounded for the summer.  His only outlets are helping his neighbor, Ms. Volker, an arthritic obituary writer and medical examiner, digging a bomb shelter for his dad, and reading lots of bloody historical books in the Landmark Book series. 

 During the course of this summer, he is cured of his emotionally-driven chronic epistaxis (nosebleeds), cleans up many poisoned mice and rats, experiences terrorism by a group of Hell’s Angels, helps identify a serial killer and dances a tightrope between his feuding parents.  Through all this, Jack comes to appreciate his town, his neighbors, his friends and even his parents in new and wonderful ways.

The author gives his character a wonderful voice, and includes lively dialogue so real, the reader feels he or she is part of the conversation.  The scenes in the book are listed chronologically, beginning with the derailment of Jack’s summer plans all the way through to August 17th, when “Jack Gantos was released from being grounded by his parents.”  He says, though, “stay tuned, because on August 18 he might be grounded all over again – unless he remembers his own history!” The author gradually reveals the historical era of the book through cleverly dropped references to time, place and characters. 

Some passages, especially about war, are so poignant they bear repeated readings.  And they are applicable to our times as well, reflecting universal themes.  His father, a WWII veteran, says, “Don’t ever go to war.  Even if you win, the battle is never over inside you.”  When asked by Jack which is worse, past history of future history, his father answers, “Future history; each war gets worse because we get better at killing each other.”  Jack learns about the importance of history by the end of the book when he says, “the reason you remind yourself of the stupid stuff you’ve done in the past is so you don’t do it again,” paraphrasing the famous quote that those who don’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Awards:

John Newbery Medal winner, 2012

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2012

Best Books: 

Kirkus Best Children’s Books, 2011

Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Books, 2011

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012

Reviews:

“There’s more than laugh-out-loud gothic comedy here. This is a richly layered

semi-autobiographical tale, an ode to a time and place, to history and the power

of reading.” – The Horn Book

 “[This is] a more quietly (but still absurdly) funny and insightful account of a kid's growth, kin to Gantos' Jack stories, that will stealthily hook even resistant readers into the lure of history. - The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

Personal Response:

Dropping bits of history like bread crumbs for an eager reader to follow, Gantos had me reaching for my I-Pad and Google to learn more about the town of Norvelt and the various events of history peppered throughout the book.  References to JFK and PT109, Hemmingway’s hemochromatosis, the US Army bomber flying into the Empire State Building and Eleanor Roosevelt’s influence on the publication of The Diary of Anne Frank, all led me to explore these topics in more detail.  This is definitely a book older boys will love, as there is a bit of gore, but it can also be enjoyed by anyone who likes books with quirky characters and an entertainingly interwoven plot.

Connections:

The author provides a teaching guide at http://www.jackgantos.com.vhost.zerolag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Dead-End-in-Norvelt-Teachers-Guide.pdf which covers themes such as family, friendships, community, courage, and growing up, as well as activities that could be used in language arts, social studies, drama and art.  Links to websites on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt and information on the Piper Cub J-3 plane (which can be interpreted as a character itself in the book) are included.

References

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. N.d. Dead End in Norvelt. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=1&isbn=9780374379933 (accessed November 5, 2013).

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007.  The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books.

Summary:

From the award-winning author of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, comes the tale of 7^th grader Holling Hoodhood who embarks on a year of change and growth set during the Vietnam era.  Holling learns his teacher doesn’t really hate him, he can run as fast as the wind with psychotic rats chasing him, reading Shakespeare does actually have a point, small acts of kindness are worth their weight in gold, and you don’t have to be lost in order to be found.

Critical Analysis:

“What’s in a name….” writes Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet, but that question is one the reader ponders in Gary D. Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars as well.  Names are important in this book, though it takes some time to figure out the connection between names and identity.  

Holling Hoodhood, is a 7^th grade boy living during the Vietnam War era, who struggles with many universal issues of that age: mean teachers, bullying, relationships with friends and family, courage, and, of course, girls.   If an author is supposed to “write what they know,” then Mr. Schmidt must remember his middle school years well.  He gives our hero a wonderfully unique voice, part cynical, part wide-eyed curiosity and wonder.  Universal themes abound in this novel - of  struggling against adversity (“Mrs. Baker hate’s my guts”),  family dynamics, prejudice, bullying, courage (in the face of large 8^th graders, escaped rats, Shakespeare, big sisters and yellow tights), and of course, baseball, America’s pastime.

The author gives this young adult historical novel a well-established setting, and drops plenty of appropriate references to give the reader a feel for the era: The Monkees, Walter Cronkite nightly Vietnam news, dittos (remember the purple/blue ink, the warmth, the smell of those copies?), war protests, Saturn V, Mickey Mantle, Brezhnev, POWs, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy.  Intermixed with these references is a story filled with comedy, drama, love and tragedy, not unlike a Shakespearian play itself.  

The author has a great time using quotes from the plays Holling’s teacher makes him read on Wednesday afternoons (hence, the Wednesday wars) to increase the comedic value of the dialogue between the characters. However the bard’s original intent in his words is changed and manipulated by Schmidt in new and fresh ways that leave the reader gasping for breath with laughter and awe.  And Holling’s teacher, Mrs. Baker, whose soldier husband is MIA during part of the book, doesn’t really hate him, as Holling thinks – she actually sees promise in him and has a plan to help him.  She tells him late in the book to “learn everything you can… and then use all you have learned to grow up to be a good and wise man.”  

 We come to see that Holling is well on his way to achieving this goal, through the help of his teacher, his friends, his community and his experiences with the world in which he lives.  Certain aspects of the plays that Holling reads with Mrs. Baker reflect life lessons Holling learns in the novel.  Of Hamlet, Holling says, "maybe he never had someone tell him that he didn't need to find himself...he just needed to let himself be found."  And, of course, one of the best lessons Holling learns is "to thine own self be true."

Awards:

Cybil Award Finalist, 2007

John Newbery Medal Honor Book, 2008

IBBY Honor List, 2010

Reviews:

“Holling's unwavering, distinctive voice offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, as he leaps into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open.” – Booklist

“Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms.” - Kirkus

Personal Response:

The Wednesday Wars is one of the best books I have read in a long time, and I read A LOT!  I laughed so hard at times, tears leaked and I scared the dog.  I especially loved how the author would occasionally repeat lines in the book from earlier sentences that made you look at the words in a whole new way, even expressing new thoughts, almost like the pantoum in poetry.  I already have a list of people who will be getting this book for Christmas, from my 13 year old son to my 89 year old veteran stepfather.  It’s one of those books that need to be read……and shared.

Connections:

The obvious uses of this book would be to read it to a class during a unit on the Vietnam War, or even on making Shakespeare relevant to students of today.  But it’s so entertaining, and at times so amazingly poignant, that a teacher or librarian do not really even need a specific reason to recommend this book to a middle or high school boy, knowing that the reader’s life will be enriched beyond measure.

References

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. N.d. The Wednesday Wars. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=2&isbn=9780618724833 (accessed November 6, 2013).

Nonfiction and Biography Book Reviews

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice? Ill. By Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-439-92231-9

Summary:

Author of several award-winning books, Barbara Kerley tackles the life of one of our nation’s most irrepressible “first children” in this picture book biography of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt.  The subtitle of the book is “How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world and drove her father Teddy crazy!”

Critical Analysis:

Eminently readable, this extra-large picture book biography gives the reader a glimpse of life in the White House in the early 1900’s through the eyes of the energetic and mischievous Alice Roosevelt.  Kerley’s writing is engaging in telling the story of the challenge President Roosevelt had in raising such a rambunctious daughter in an era where children, and females, were better “seen and not heard.”  Beginning with a humorous understatement about Alice (“Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem”), the book goes on to highlight a few of Teddy’s adventures, such as herding cattle in the Dakota Badlands, leading the Rough Riders, bagging grizzly bears, capturing outlaws and his highly publicized political career. (And he wondered where Alice got her sense of adventure)?

 The rest of the book is taken up with enthusiastically written snapshots of Alice’s life, from her unconventional education, which consisted of “being let loose” in her father’s library, her struggle with wearing braces on her legs (which didn’t slow her down one bit), to roaming the streets of Washington and joining an all-boys’ club.  As she grew older, she assumed the role of goodwill ambassador for her father, greeting visitors to the White House with a pet snake named Emily Spinach, and getting up to many hijinks on trips outside the United States.  Teddy is quoted saying to a friend, “I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice.  I cannot possibly do both!” 

 Though she was the bane of the president’s existence, the American public adored Alice; she had a song written about her, “Alice” became a popular baby name and she even had a color named after her – “Alice Blue.”  The book examines her life from her childhood through her marriage to congressman Nicholas Longworth, but even as an adult, Alice “ate up the world” by dancing until all hours, playing poker, betting on horses and racing her car.  Although she was not even close to being politically correct, most historians agree that Alice’s celebrity helped her father’s career.  

The digital illustrations by Edwin Fotheringham, in his picture book debut, provide an excellent backdrop for the text, evoking the historical era with appropriate clothing styles and other fine details. With muted colors, yet patriotic red, white and blue touches throughout, the illustrator creates visually captivating caricature drawings of Teddy, Alice and others in the book.  The images of Alice usually reflect movement of her running, jumping and skipping, symbolizing her energetic life.  One small detail delights: the opening and closing pictures show Alice carrying a spoon, reflecting Alice’s hunger for life and her love of “eating up the world.”

Kerley’s sources for the quotes in the book and the history presented are not easily found, being rather hidden inside the back cover of the book in small print, but they do show she used several respected biographies for her information.  The author also provides additional historical information in an author’s note in the back of the book that assists the reader in understanding the historical context.

Awards:

Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008 Winner Nonfiction
Cybil Award, 2008 Finalist Non-Fiction Picture Books
Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008 Honor Book Ages 4-8
Parents' Choice Award, 2008 Approved Non-fiction
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2009 Honor Book 

Reviews:

“It’s hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“Peeking behind the White House door at its child residents is always a kid-pleasing enterprise, and stories of spirited Alice may set listeners to scanning the current political horizon for equally fascinating presidential offspring.” - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Personal Response:

I loved the story of Alice Roosevelt, and the way the illustrator made the story come alive.  It led me to do some more research on Alice, finding the apparently well-known quote she made: “If you haven’t got anything good to say about anyone, come sit by me!”

Connections:

Kerley’s picture book could be used in conjunction with a similar book titled Mind your Manners, Alice Roosevelt, by Leslie Kimmelman, which contains a fictionalized account of the life of the Roosevelts, highlighting some of Alice’s antics.  It could also be used as part of a history unit on U.S. Presidents, life in the early 1900s, or the Women’s Rights Movement. 

References

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. N.d. What to do About Alice? http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=2&isbn=9780439922319 (accessed October 22, 2013).

 

Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. 2010. How to Clean a Hippopotamus: a Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 978-0-547-24515-7

Summary:

Husband and wife award-winning team, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page, took their interest in animal symbiosis, specifically mutualism – a relationship between animals that is mutually beneficial – and turned it into an inventive picture book full of fun and fascinating scientific facts about the “curious biology” of different animals and organisms helping each other in the wild. 

Critical Analysis:

Who knew that Nile crocodiles have their own live toothpicks in the Egyptian plover bird? Or that the cleaner wrasse fish acts as a dentist office/way station for all sorts of sea creatures? These and other interesting facts are explored in this intriguing picture book about animal symbiosis.  Written in a factual, yet never dry, style, the authors present a number of different animal pairs that help each other in a mutually beneficial manner (called “mutualism”). 

Some animals graze together in Africa, using their separate specific skills of sight, hearing and smell to warn of predators.  Many other animals have a symbiotic relationship wherein one will clean the other, the former getting a food source, and the latter getting relief from skin discomfort.  The coyote and badger, usually lone hunters, have discovered that together they can be more successful catching the wily prairie dog.  One of the most fascinating pairs is the Black Tree ant and its enemy the Rufous woodpecker.  They normally are at war; but in the spring, the ants allow the woodpecker to make a nest out of the ants’ home for its eggs and yet don’t attack the chicks, who act as a deterrent to predators until they are ready to leave the nest.  After that, they “become enemies once again.”

The book’s layout is similar to a graphic novel, with horizontal panels of drawings and captions of text, presenting a clear, but not overwhelming, sequence of information.  The illustrations are similar to the collage style of Eric Carle, and provide interesting visual texture to the book.  Of note are the eyes of the various animals which seem to jump off the page with life-like appeal.

The authors end the book on a sweet note by discussing the symbiosis between dogs and humans.  Though in the past, dogs have helped humans as workers, hunters, herders and guides in return for food and care, the most important role of dogs today is companion.  “Dogs keep us company and cheer us up when we are sad.  They are loyal and affectionate.”  

The last pages of the book offer a section on “more about symbiosis,” specific information on size, habitat and diet of the animals highlighted in the book and a reference to other books “to learn more about animal symbiosis.”  The authors do not indicate specifically where they obtained all their facts, which detracts from determining the accuracy of an informational book.  There are also no page numbers, which is unusual.  Otherwise, these author/illustrators have done an excellent job of presenting a scientific topic in a way that creates curiosity and awe.

 Awards:

(Best Books):

Booklist Top 10 Sci-Tech Books for Youth, 2010 ; American Library Association
Choices, 2011 ; Cooperative Children's Book Center
John Burroughs List of Nature Books for Young Readers ; John Burroughs Association
Notable Children's Books, 2011 ; ALSC American Library Association
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, 2011 ; National Science Teachers Association

Reviews:

 “Close ups, aerial views, and vignettes of animals realistically rendered in Jenkins's trademark collage have a cinematic quality.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“The format is entertaining, but as always, the authors’ attention to scientific facts is serious, and their lucid explanations avoid any suggestion that these arrangements are cozy pairings between interspecies BFFs: “Animals . . . remain in these relationships only because the partnership somehow helps them survive.” – Booklist

Personal Response:

I found this book fascinating and rather miraculous that certain animals have developed such relationships.  The topic of symbiosis was new to me, and the book made me want to explore it further.

Connections: 

The obvious use of this book is in a scientific unit on symbiosis in animals.  Other books available on this topic are: Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey and a series of books about animals working together by Martha Rustad (Zebras and Oxpeckers Work Together, for example).  Children could take one pair of animals and do further research on their mutualism to present to the class or in a report.  It would also be a great book to read in a story time with a theme of how people and animals help each other.

References

Amazon.com. n.d. “Animal Symbiosis.” http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=animal%20symbiosis (accessed October 23, 2013). 

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. n.d  How to Clean a Hippotamus. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=0&isbn=9780547245157 (accessed October 23, 2013).

 

 

Montgomery, Sy. 2010. Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot. New York: Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-618-49417-0

Summary:

 Sy Montgomery, an acclaimed writer of informational books, adds to her collection with this Siebert Award winner about an endangered flightless parrot found only on a small island in New Zealand.  The author and photographer, Nic Bishop, spent 10 days on Codfish Island with a group of volunteers who are passionately involved in caring for, and hopefully increasing the numbers of, the Kakapo parrot.  Sy Montgomery’s book tells a poignant tale of the attempt to save a species on the brink of extinction, and shares her experiences about the triumphs, and sometimes tragedies, found in this endeavor.

Critical Analysis:

The most important criteria in an informational book is  accuracy, and it is hard to get more accurate than experiencing the facts of one’s topic firsthand the way Sy Montgomery does in this award-winning Science in the Field book.  Montgomery has been chased by angry gorillas, bitten by bats, swum with piranhas and hunted by tigers in search of information for some of her other books.  In this one, she travels with photographer Nic Bishop to a tiny island in New Zealand to better understand the plight of the Kakapo parrot.  With less than 90 of these birds left in the world, all  located on Codfish Island, the author spends a great deal of time explaining the Kakapo’s history, how it has come so close to extinction, and the efforts involved to preserve the species. 

 Nic Bishop’s beautiful photographs accompany each page to capture their journey: close-ups of the Kakapo, other wildlife and the various volunteers; colorful sunsets and sunrises; stunning views of the vast ocean surrounding the island and the deep, dense forests hidden inside. Using sensory imagery the author provides vivid descriptions of the flora and fauna of the area, the work of the volunteers and the emotions experienced by all who come into contact with this funny, colorful and curious parrot.

The book tells of the Kakapo species in general, but also of a specific parrot, Lisa, and her just-hatched chick in such a way that the reader cannot help to become avidly involved in the story.  There is excitement, mystery, comedy and yes, even, tragedy as this story pulls in the reader, giving credence to why Sy Montgomery has won so many awards for her outstanding writing.  Figurative language is prominent in her writing style:  similes and metaphors, such as “each Kakapo is like…a Hope Diamond…a treasure of unsurpassed rarity and value;" onomatopoeia in the “booms and chings” of the mating male Kakapo, which sound “like the chime of a cash register;” and alliteration such as the “brilliant blue and breezy day.” 

The reference aids in the book include captions to each picture, a glossary of terms, a Kakapo Recovery website and a selected bibliography of additional sources that provided background for the book, though most research was done in the field.

Awards:

Cybil Award, 2010 Finalist

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2011 Winner

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, 2011 Recommended

 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science, 2011 Finalist Middle Grades Science Books

Reviews:

“Montgomery's delight in her subject is contagious, and throughout her enthusiastic text, she nimbly blends scientific and historical facts with immediate, sensory descriptions of fieldwork.” – Booklist

“Bishop's lushly beautiful photographs help readers explore the island's trees, ferns, and mosses as well as other birds and wildlife.” Children’s Literature

Personal Response:

I fell in love with the Kakapo parrot in Sy Montgomery’s book, especially with the interactions that the volunteers had with a few of the bolder birds.  It is sad that so few of them exist, but it is a great testament to conservationism that some people are so passionate about saving a species that man, himself, caused to come so close to extinction.

Connections:

Sy Montgomery’s website, www.symontgomery.com, has some wonderful resources that can be used by teachers as curriculum aids for this book.  Subjects of math, history, science, English language arts and social studies can all be explored with Kakapo Rescue.  Units on other endangered animals could also be explored.  This book would not be useful in a story time at a library due to its length, but could be recommended through reader’s advisory for those interested in animals and conservation.

References

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. N.d. Kakapo Rescue. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=0&isbn=9780618494170 (accessed October 24, 2013).