The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara, by David Kertzer

Thanks to this year's 48 Hour Reading Challenge (of which I have two hours left...) I have finally finished a book I have owned unread for about eight years, if not more-- The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara, by David Kertzer (1997; a National Book Award Finalist). It's an outstanding example of social history, and was one of the most gripping books, including all the fiction I read, that I've encountered this year. I am now a much more educated person. So total win.

Here's the story: One evening in Bologna, in June of 1858 two officers of the Inquisition knocked on the door of Momolo Mortara, a Jewish businessman. They had come to take, by force if necessary, Mortara's son, little Edgardo. Unbeknownst to the Mortara family, a Catholic servant had baptized him some years before, transforming him into a Christian. As such, the six year old boy could not remain with his Jewish family, but must be raised as a Catholic.

The kidnapping of Edgardo launched a media firestorm, and became a cause célèbre. The mid 19th century was a tumultuous time for Italy--liberals pushed for unification of its desperate states and for constitutional government, and the Catholic church fought to preserve its absolute power over the Papal state (a considerable territory, surrounding Rome). Each side put their own spin on Edgardo's story, in a way very reminiscent of the media today--were Edgardo and his family victims of an enlightened, cruel institution that clung to the past, or was the Catholic church doing its duty in saving the soul of an innocent child, whose heart (according to their accounts) soon turned with love toward the Catholic faith?

Kertzer vividly brings to life the antisemitism of 19th-century Italy (who knew the Inquisition was still going strong, and that Blood Libel was still unquestioned by the many? Not me). Using direct quotes from historical sources extensively, he allows the protagonists in the drama to tell their own stories, guiding the reader through the maze of political and legal intrigue. The cast of characters ranges from the statesmen, rulers, and revolutionaries that I'd heard about (Garibaldi, Napoleon III, President Buchanan), to uneducated peasant girls whose court testimony gives them a voice.

Though I sometimes got a bit confused with all the mad welter of events of Italy's path toward unification, Kertzer kept coming back to Edgardo and his family enough so that the human interest of their story was never lost.

I was appalled, educated, and entertained (and have become determined to read more social history for grown ups).

But for now, back to science fiction and fantasy for the young.

Geology of the Eastern Coast, by Cynthia Light Brown and Kathleen Brown

Geology of the Eastern Coast, by Cynthia Light Brown and Kathleen Brown, is another fine addition to Nomad Press' Build It Yourself series. With clear language and helpful vocabulary lists, the authors take the reader on a tour of the geology of the Eastern United States, from the birth of the ancient super continent of Rodinia a billion years ago (I'd never heard of it!) to the ecosystems of the modern coastal areas.

It starts with a beautifully lucid explanation of plate tectonics, and then moves into the formation of the Appalachian mountains, touching on earthquakes, and fossil fuels. I'm glad they included the 2011 Virginia earthquake--and was fascinated to learn that tweets from Virginia about it reached New York forty seconds before the shock waves. It was also fascinating to learn why it is that earthquakes in the eastern states travel so much farther than those elsewhere--not as many interfering fault lines, and older, colder rocks that let the force of the earthquake keep going for hundreds of miles. For kids who were in the 2011 earthquake zone, this section will be especially interesting!

There are quite a few descriptions of specific places of geological interest, several of which I've put on my To Visit list (one reason why this book isn't going over to the library yet)---like Great Esker Park in Weymouth, MA, and the greenstone staircase of Stony Man Peak in VA. I already wanted to visit Mammoth Cave, KY, but was fascinated learn that one of the earliest explorers to map it was a young slave named Stephen Bishop in the 1830s.

The book includes the less rock-based topics--climate and ecology, both of which are the result of the region's geology. There's a nice discussion of rivers, too, including a nicely clear explanation of how hydroelectric energy works.

And then there are the fifteen activities. I was very impressed by these--more so than usual, and am very eager to do some myself (forget the kids). I want, for instance, to make a limestone cave with sugar cubes. Some of the food based ones I might make a few changes too (in the erosion activity, in which chunks of chocolate (hard rocks) fall when the whipped cream beneath (soft rocks) is eroded by the spoon, I'd rather eat ice cream than whipped cream, but that's a matter of personal taste!)

I was especially fascinated by this addition to the series, because I am an East Coaster born and bred--and even though I like to pass review copies on to the library, I am going to keep this one for awhile. It is really the best geology book for 8-10 year old kids I've read (I learned things too!), and the focus on one region gives it a more personal interest than books that cover the whole world. For those who aren't East Coasters, other books in the series cover the Pacific North West, the Great Plains and Mountain West, and the Desert Southwest.

Non-fiction Monday is hosted by 100 Scope Notes today!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

Welcome to Non-fiction Monday!

Welcome to this week's Nonfiction Monday! Please leave your link in the comments, and I'll update periodically.
My own contribution is a book that would make the perfect gift for the young math aficionado on your list--Algebra & Geometry: Anything but Square!, a Basher Science book written by Dan Green, and illustrated in true Basher style (Kingfisher, 2011).

This, like all the Basher books, is a small but solid, square paperback--which I mention because I find it a very appealing size and shape! And like all Basher books, the concepts are illustrated by very cute, manga-esqe personifications of what is being described.

In Algebra and Geometry, a gang of enthusiastic math concepts--ranging from the simple Zero (a happy bubble of a fellow) to the more esoteric imaginary numbers (represented by a pirate) explain themselves to the reader. I have to confess this is the first time anyone has ever bothered to explain binary to me (or perhaps the first time I paid attention!). I especially liked the little angles doing their exercises, and the coordinates rocketing around the graph!

This isn't one for the kid just beginning math--some concept of negative numbers, graphing, and basic geometry helps one appreciate the zany characters and their role in math. But for the 11 year old (or so) math geek--great fun!

And now, the round-up!

Ms. Yingling looks at In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps it Up! by Monica Kulling--a biography of a 19th century inventor.

Zoe at Playing by the Book has The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont, by Victoria Griffith.

At NC Teacher Stuff, you will find Earthquake in Haiti, by Miriam Aronin.

And at Shelf-employed, you can find Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World, by Douglas Wood.

The Nonfiction Detectives offer If You Lived Here: Houses of the World
by Giles Laroche.

Balloons Over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade, by Melissa Sweet is reviewed at Jama's Alphabet Soup, and Melissa Sweet stops by to chat (there's also a giveaway)

I was so taken with this picture of the Nantucket Sea Monster balloon included in Jama's post that I had to share it:


Amanda, at A Patchwork of Books, also loved Balloons over Broadway!

And so did Lynn and Cindy at Bookends! (I am now determined to get a hold of a copy myself.....)

Abby, at Abby the Librarian, has America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell, by Don Brown

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery, by Steve Sheinkin, can be found at Wrapped in Foil

And Jean Little Library is host to On Parade: the Hidden World of Animals in Entertainment, by Rob Laidlaw.

At Check it Out, there's Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown

And at A Curious Thing you can find two short and simple ones-- Gator or Croc? by Allan Fowler and Koala by Edana Eckar

Flesh and Blood So Cheap, by Albert Marrin, is today's non-fiction pick at Reads for Keeps, and you can also find it here at Chicken Spaghetti.

The Fourth Musketeer features Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Creatures, by Katherine Paterson

Gathering Books has Harlem, a poem written by Walter Dean Myers.

Doret, aka TheHappyNappyBookseller, has Black & White, by Larry Dane Brimner.

At Books Beside My Bed you'll find Elephant Talk, by Ann Downer

And Stuff that Scares the Pants Off You, by Glenn Murphy, can be found at Geo Librarian

Wild About Nature features African Animal Alphabet, by Beverly and Dereck Joubert.

Two books by Hugh Brewster --Dieppe: Canada's Darkest Day of World War II, and Prisoner of Dieppe: World War II, Alistair Morrison, Occupied France, 1942 are featured today at Apples With Many Seeds.

Shirley at Simply Science looked at 3-D Theater Rainforest, and 3-D Theater Ocean.

At Biblio File you can take a look at The Many Faces of George Washington, by Carla Killough McClafferty

At Picture Book of the Day is Arlington: The Story of Our Nation's Cemetery, and at Chapter Book of the Day is Secret American Places: From UFO Crash Sites to Government Hideouts.

Do I Need It? Or Do I Want It? : Making Budget Choices, is the featured book at All About the Books With Janet Squires.

The Industrial Revolution, with 25 Projects, by Carla Mooney

The Industrial Revolution: Investigate How Science and Technology Changed the World, with 25 Projects, by Carla Mooney (Nomad Press, 2011)

This new addition to Nomad Press' Build It Yourself series is one of the best I've read (both in terms of books in the series, and books for kids about the Industrial Revolution!). It introduces not just the cool inventions (like the cotton gin and the spinning jenny), but it explains clearly why they were embraced, and what the social and economic repercussions (both good and bad) were.

The technology buff will be fascinated by that side of things, the young reader drawn more to stories of people will be fascinated not just by meeting the inventors themselves, but by stories of how the lives of working people were changed. My own son liked best the accounts of the worker protests, and strikes violently disbanded.

This series always offers engaging activities to complement the history, but in this case they are especially good ones, I thought. Building your own canal lock, for instance, and weaving with your own hand loom....

As is also a trademark of this series, rather simple black and white drawings are included. The only actual vintage illustrations are those on the cover. So this book, I think, would work best side by side with original source material to bring it to life.

(review copy received from the publisher)

Hatch! by Roxie Munro, for Non-Fiction Monday

It says right up there on my header that I review science fiction and fantasy for kids, and I mostly do. But I also enjoy taking part in the Kidlitosphere's Non-Fiction Monday round-ups (in part because I regret having utterly ignored the non-fiction sections of all my childhood libraries, and in part because my own kids, happily, do not suffer from the same myopia). Today's round-up is at Playing By the Book.

This morning I offer Hatch! written and illustrated by Roxie Munro (Marshall Cavendish, 2011, 40 pages).

Before you have a bird, you have to have an egg. Hatch! introduces young readers to a multitude of bird species from around the world by first showing full page picture of their eggs--"Can you guess whose eggs these are?" A paragraph of clues follows...and then a double page spread showing the bird in its habitat. It's a very friendly, inviting design--the curiosity of the reader is piqued, and then clearly written, simple yet detailed, information is provided by words and pictures.

As well as introducing the birds qua birds, Munro also sets each one neatly into its habitat, explaining in words and pictures where they live, and the other creatures that share their world. And the very last page offers places where one can find out more about birds, and a list of fun bird words to learn.

Fascinating things I learned: when Baltimore orioles migrate, they fly mainly at night (possibly to beat the traffic???)

The eggs of the black-legged kittiwake come in all sorts of distinctive splotch patterns--so the the parents can tell their own nests from the hundreds and even thousands of other eggs in the same colony. (If I was a kittiwake, I would still feel nervous--I don't trust my splotch recognition skills). Owl eggs are white so their parents can find them in the dark (this I could cope with).

A cactus wren has two or three clutches a season, and sometimes an older sibling from the first brood will babysit (only one more year until the my own first brood, as it were, will be old enough to do the same for my second).

We enjoyed this one!

(review copy received from the publisher)

Feel the Force! A physics pop-up book by Tom Adams

Feel the Force! is a physics pop-up book by Tom Adams, illustrated by Thomas Flintham (Templar, Sept. 13, 2011, 20 pages), that explains the basic concepts of physics (friction, gravity, light, sound, magnetism, movement, and electricity) in clear language that a 6-9 year old can follow. It's brightly illustrated (with pop-up elements and pull tabs), it applies the principles discussed to everyday life (well, race cars aren't an every day occurrence in my life, but you know what I mean), and it includes experiments kids can try at home to drive home the information.

Here's an example of what I think is spot-on science writing for a young kid:

"A cube of gold weighs more than a cube of steel, even though they are the same size, so gold is denser. If something is more dense than water, it'll sink. If it's less dense, it'll float. Gold is more than twice as dense as steel and almost twenty times denser than water (which is why pirate treasure always sinks)."

Here's why I particularly like it-- the contractions. So friendly.

The information is presented in your basic little text and picture clusters, making this not a book to read cover to cover, but one where you stop at each two page spread, and read the bits, and pull the tabs (they seem to be tough tabs, which is good) and talk them over, and then if you wish you can do the experiment for that section. It's a book that would work very well paired with Magic School bus, reinforcing the science behind the fiction.

In short, a very fine introduction the principles of physics, and how these principles are at work in the world around us.

If I were homeschooling, I'd build on this foundation with Physics: Why Matter Matters, one of the lovely non-fiction books by Basher, which goes into more of the sub-atomic details in a very kid friendly way (my review).

I've said it before, but sheesh. The kids of today are so lucky! When I started high school physics I had little understanding of what "physics" actually was--except that it involved math and I would probably be bad at it (I was brainwashed into thinking I was bad at math. I blame my mother (who doesn't read my blog, so that's ok)).

On the other hand, my boys (now 8 and 11) have been known to have arguments about Newtonian motion and Einstein's troubled relationship with gravity. And this is not because they are little savants, which they aren't. Nope, they simply have had access to books and non-fiction dvds (The Elegant Universe is surprisingly accessibly to the young, probably because they can suspend their disbelief).

If your kids have already watched The Elegant Universe ten times, Feel the Force! will be much too basic for them. But if they haven't....it's an excellent place to begin the exciting journey into the wonder of the universe that physics can be (if your mother doesn't tell you it is mostly math and you will be bad at it).

Note on age: the publisher recommends this one to kids 7-11, Amazon has 4-8, I say 6-9. It all depends on the kid...

For more non-fiction for kids, visit the Non-Fiction Monday round-up, hosted today by Capstone Kids.

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Explorers of the New World, by Carla Mooney, for Non-Fiction Monday

Explorers of the New World, by Carla Mooney (ages 9-12, 128 pages), is a recent edition to Nomad Press' excellent Build It Yourself series. Mooney takes readers from the Silk Road and the search to find a water route from Europe to Asia, to 16th century European ventures to North America, describing the advances in cartography and technology (there's a particularly nice description of why caravels were different and important) that made European explorers capable of extending their reach around the world.

Interspersed with this account are 22 activities that bring the world of the explorers to life--from blending spice mixes to making your own compass and sailor's lanyard. The inclusion of a make-your-own Dream Catcher craft was a tad jarring, though-- this was not something the European explorers would have had any interest in doing!

As the title of the book promises, it is the European explorers who are the focus of the story. All the familiar names are here, as well as some I don't remember learning about in school, such as Pedro Alvares Cabral, the first Eruopean to land on Brazil, and Martin Frobisher, an English explorer who set out in 1576 to find the Northwest Passage.

Mooney includes mention of the horrors that exploration brouht to the people whose lands were being explored, with such as statements as this:"When the Aztecs surrendered, there were only about 30,000 people remain in the once-proud city of 300,000" (page 79), and a section on killer diseases. But I wish that the ending of the book had been less up-beat and pro-explorer.

Here's how the book ends:

"The brave explorers of the New World risked their lives and fortunes with each voyage into the unknown. Their journeys to the New World left a lasting legacy. It can still be seen in the languages, religions and cultures of the people who live in North and South America today" (page 107).

I don't think this adequately underscores the European efforts to commit genocide that began here in the age of exploration, and the long-term consequences of colonization, such as the slave trade, and the rise of European empires. Although the last sentence is true, the fact that "I am reading this book in English here in New England because the English colonists were very successful in killing, enslaving, displacing, and imposing their culture on many (but by no means all) of the original people of this place" is not the message it conveys.

Despite that (especially if what happened next can be expanded on by an adult), this book seems one that should be welcomed wholeheartedly by educators seeking clearly written and detailed (but not overwhelmingly so) accounts of the men who came from Europe to explore the "new" (irony) world.

Non-Fiction Monday (a recurring Kidlitosphere event) is hosted by Amy O'Quinn today.

(Disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Charlie and Kiwi: an Evolutionary Adventure, for Timeslip Tuesday

Looking for a great book to use to help your young child understand the driving force behind evolution? Try Charlie and Kiwi: an Evolutionary Adventure (Atheneum, June, 2011, 48 pages). Peter H. Reynolds, Fablevision, and the New York Hall of Science teamed up to create a picture book that does a brilliant job clearly explaining the principle of survival of the fittest, with the science set in an engaging narrative of a time-travel adventure.

Young Charlie picks the kiwi as the subject of his bird report in school, bringing in his own newly acquired stuffed kiwi as an example. But the other children are doubtful--"Izzat a bird? Where's the wings?" asks one. And Charlie, when asked why the kiwi is so very different from other birds, draws a blank.

Fortunately, his stuffed kiwi is ready to help out, taking Charlie back in time (the box Kiwi came in magically becomes a time travel machine) to meet his many times great grandfather. Together Charles Darwin, Kiwi, and Charlie go on an evolutionary adventure, to observe first hand the ancestral proto-kiwis of New Zealand. And then they head back even further in time, to see for themselves how birds evolved from dinosaurs.

My kids and I thought this was a great book--we were charmed by the stuffed kiwi, and thought the explanation of natural selection/survival of the fittest was interesting and clearly explained. It might be a bit wordy for some picture book affectionados, but for kids with an interest in science and nature, I recommend it highly.

Here's Grandpa Charles beginning his explanation of natural selection:

"Long ago, maybe kiwis were more like regular birds.
Maybe they had wings and flew.
But say one family was a little bit different.
Say some stayed on the ground a little more and smelled bugs
a little better. They'd be safer, and catch more dinner...."

I love the idea of using a time-travel story in an educational way--I vaguely feel that lots of books say "let's go back in time," but one like this, that uses a fictional narrative, with engaging characters and touches of humor, is very rare indeed. (It's the first time I've ever applied my fantasy label and my non-fiction label simultaneously!)

(and it's awfully nice that Charlie is a kid of color)

Odd Ball: Hilarious, Unusual & Bizarre Baseball Moments, for Non-Fiction Monday

Odd Ball: Hilarious, Unusual & Bizarre Baseball Moments, by Timothy Tocher, illustrated by Stacy Curtis (Marshall Cavendish, 2011, elementary/lower middle grade, 64 pages).

This is a book that gives exactly what the title promises--exciting and interesting facts and stories about baseball! It's a book that's great both for the elementary school kid, and for the 9 to 10 year old looking for a light read. The titular moments are presented in a graphic-heavy format, great for the more uncertain, or less committed reader, with larger paragraphs of text providing more heft for the older kid.

I'm not particularly interested in baseball. Growing up it was hard to care about the Baltimore Orioles all the way down in Arlington VA; my boys, on the other hand, became Red Socks fans as simple fact of life in these parts up north. So they were more interested than I was in this particular book, when it arrived from the publishers. And indeed, my oldest had read it thrice, and my youngest once, before I looked at it myself.

By that point, I had been told many of the anecdotes already (it's the kind of book that makes you want to say to any loved one who happens to be around--"Did you know that....." ) I found it really interesting, in a fascinating factoid way, myself. Did you know that a baseball once landed in a match vendors tray and started a fire? Did you ever hear about Wilbert Robinson, who boasted he could catch a ball dropped from an airplane, and how, when his manger hired a stunt pilot to put him to the test, it turned strangely sour? I could go on...

And so, although I do recommend this one to its intended audience, you could also do far worse than to get this for a difficult to shop for grown-up loved one who loves baseball!

The non-fiction Monday round-up is at Great Kid Books today.

Psychiatric Tales, by Darryl Cunningham, for Non-Fiction Monday

After reading a review at Comics Worth Reading, I added Psychiatric Tales, by Darryl Cunningham, to my (too long) list of library books. I am fascinated by explorations of the workings (and not working) of the mind, and very much wanted to see for myself Cunningham's exploration of mental illness, presented in graphic novel form.

Front and center, Cunningham makes it clear that he has a purpose in creating his book--it "is intended to be a stigma-busting book. This is needed because fear and ignorance of mental illness remain widespread in society" (page ix). In his compassionate portrayals of those suffering from various forms of mental illness, he succeeds in making the point that victims of these illnesses remain People, that they can (sometimes) be helped through medical care, and that they are not to blame for the symptoms of their illness.

All but one of the eleven stories that comprise this book stem from Cunnigham's experiences training to be a mental health nurse; the exception is the author's look at his own struggle with mental illness. Dementia, self-harm, depression, anti-social personality disorder, suicide, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are covered in accounts of the author's experience working with people affected by these. His stories aren't at an Oliver Sachs-ian level of intricate detail, but enough is there to makes it possible to feel the fundamental humanity of each of the people one encounters here. A chapter on people with mental illness who have enriched our lives underscores this point.

Most powerful, though, is the final chapter of the book, in which the author shares his story of crippling anxiety and depression, in which suicide seemed like a very tempting alternative to a life of hopeless darkness. Thankfully Cunningham (with the help of Prozac and the Internet) was able to find hope again, in large part through the creation of this book. Fusing his talent for art with his hard-earned knowledge of mental illness, he has created something of value.

Although Psychiatric Tales wasn't written with a Young Adult audience in mind, I think this is one that deserves to be widely read by that demographic. What people understand they are less likely to fear, and mental illness, with all its various stigmas, is still poorly understood by too many of us. Teens, in particular, are (I think) at a point in their lives when they are trying to Make Sense of things, and a book like this, that presents a difficult topic in a very accessible way, can serve as a useful introduction to the different forms mental illness can take. It is a message-heavy book, but that works in its favor when it's considered as such an introduction.

Also of particular interest to teenagers, wondering what path they might following in their own lives, is that this is a book about finding one's career. It is a look at what the life of a mental health nurse is like--the gritty, down-right revolting things one must deal with, and the stigma that's associated with this branch of the health care profession--psychiatric nurses are, in Cunningham's experience, looked down on by others in the nursing profession. It's also a career book about becoming a professional artist and graphic novel author--in particular, how the Internet helped Cunningham launch his own career.

There isn't any "adult content" viz sex and language here, but some things are very terrible. I read parts of the book with my ten-year-old, who is keenly interested in the topic. With me to explain, and soothe, and elaborate (and skip some things that I thought were too much for him to take), it worked for him.

Though there are sad and deeply disturbing things in this book, the ultimate message is one of hope.

(I feel totally unqualified to talk about the graphics...suffice it to say that I, who have trouble reading graphic novels, found that the images enhanced the words, as opposed to distracting me from them).

Other reviews, besides the one linked to at the beginning, can be found at PsychCentral, Ich Liebe Comics, Sound Therapy Radio, The Sleepless Bookworm, and Of Books and Reading.

Coincidentally (I'm incapable of actual Planning) May is National Mental Health Month! (it is a wide variety of other health related things too--you can find the whole list here. It's fascinating. I think I will celebrate Mediterranean Diet Month, and make my usual half-hearted effort viz Employee Fitness Month).

And finally, the non-fiction Monday round-up is at Jean Little Library today.

The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses for Non-Fiction Monday

Over the weekend, my boys and I were enchanted by the six books that comprise The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses, written by Shirin Yim Bridges, and illustrated by Albert Nguyen (Goosebottom Books, 2010). Each book tells of a different princess, how she gained power, and what she did with it. And each book taught us something new, and kept us engrossed from start to finish.

Important Note: Mothers of sons--don't be put off by the "girls" and the "princesses" of the title. These are books that my boys (10 and 7) loved--they begged me to keep reading, and were sad when we reached the last book!

Not only do these books tell the stories of woman you might never have heard of (but who were really important! who did great things! who should have gotten more page time in the history books!), the writing is spot on for young readers--a slightly wry authorial voice, tricky concepts and vocabulary words nicely explained, and, more generally, swinging story telling, interspersed with kid friendly sections describing what they wore and what they ate.

The series begins with Hatshepsut of Egypt, the woman who became Pharaoh. We had certainly heard of her before, but still were interested in the details of her life.The next three princesses, though, were new to all of us. Artemisia, ruler of the Persian vassal state of Caria (in modern Turkey) who commanded a flotilla of ships in Xerxes' war against ancient Greece, Sorghaghtani of Mongolia, who effectively ruled the homeland of the Mongol empire, and Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman, responsible for the golden age of her country (part of the 13th/14th century Il Kahnate in what is Iran today). Three strong, effective women whose accomplishments were truly remarkable.


Next in the series comes Isabella of Castile (the one who sent Columbus off exploring), and although I had certainly heard of her, I needed reminding about what she had done--driving the Moors from Grenada, and launching the Spanish Inquisition. Not such a nice princess.


The final book features Nur Jahan of India, who was effectively the ruler of the Moghul empire of India in the early 17th century, and who, while riding on an elephant, inside a howdah, shot and killed four tigers with only six bullets. She did other things too--like others of these women, she put her keen intelligence to work promoting trade and efficiency.

I am so very pleased to have been able to share this series with my boys--our knowledge of history and geography went up several notches (for instance, the Moghul Empire was only lightly touched on in my education, and I don't think I'd ever heard of the Il Khanate before). And more generally, I think it's great that they have more powerful women in their mental map of the past.

I wish the publisher had included a bit more back matter of supplemental facts, sources for the information, and where to go to see more pictures and find out more...but mainly this is just because my curiosity has been well and truly piqued! (And I wish Artemisia hadn't been made a blond--both unnecessary and unlikely. Sigh).

But what I really truly hope for is that there will be more books in the series--with more great princesses I've never heard about, from places that weren't front and center in my school education! This series truly fills an educational void (it would have made Third Grade Biography Breakfast so much more interesting if my son's school had had these!!!), and they are great books to share with your kids as read-alouds. I sincerely recommend them (but if you can only get one, my favorite is Sorghaghtani).

Thank you very much, Goosebottom Books, for the review copies.

Today's Non-Fiction Monday round-up is at The Cat and the Fiddle!

Digging for Troy, by Jill Rubalcaba and Eric H. Cline, for Non-fiction Monday

Jill Rubalcaba is no stranger to writing non-fiction about the distant past--her books cover hominin discoveries (Every Bone Tells a Story) and the more recent ancient times of the Mayan and Egyptian empires.

Digging for Troy: From Homer to Hisarlik (Charlesbridge, 2011) co-written a classisist, Eric H. Cline, Rubalcaba sets her sites on Homer's Troy. Her concern is not so much the story of the Trojan War, although she does retell that story by way of introduction (and very well she does this--this is one of the best Trojan War retellings for kids I've read). Instead, Rublacaba focuses on the history of the archaeological search for Troy, from Schliemann in the 19th century, through the various digs of the 20th.

"Schliemann spun dramatic stories about his search for Troy around Homer's battles and the heroes who had fought them. If he found a cup, then Achilles must have drunk from it; if he found an earring, then Helen must have worn it. But nothing would make Schliemann as truly unforgettable as what happened next. On May 31, 1873, Schliemann discovered treasure." (page 32)

It's a fascinating look at how archaeological evidence can be interpreted in various ways depending on the expertise, and the agenda, of the archaeologist. As each archaeological expedition progressed, more and more information about the various occupations of the site was uncovered, and Rubalcba explains how the story of the many "Troys" that are found at the place now called Hisarlik evolved over time.

Being an archaeologist myself, I would have appreciated more illustrations of the actual artifacts--I think there's nothing like artifacts for making the past come alive, and I found the book curiously skimpy in that regard. And I would have liked to have been told what happened to "Priam's treasure," the rich cache of artifacts that included the jewelry with which Schliemann's wife was famously bedecked. The bulk of it disappeared from a German bunker in WW II, and turned up in 1993 in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, where it remains to this day.

This would make a great book to read while exploring the Greek myths--there are so many fascinating lines of discussion that it raises, from the mutable nature of "scientific evidence" to the historical basis for many myths.

Here's some of the treasure in its modern setting at the Pushkin Museum. I wouldn't mind trying it on myself!

And in that vein, a lovely companion to this book, that similarly deals with the trickiness of archaeological interpretations of material culture is Motel of the Mysteries, by David Macaulay. At right is my favorite illustration from that book! In case you can't read the writing on the headband, it says "Sanitized for your pro...."

Today's Non-fiction Monday Round Up is at Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian.
(disclaimer: review copy of Digging for Troy received from the publisher)

How the Sphinx Got to the Museum, by Jessie Hartland, for Nonfiction Monday

How the Sphinx Got to the Museum, by Jessie Hartland (2010, Blue Apple Books)

I love a picture book that I can leave lying around the house, certain that my ten year old will pick it up and enjoy it! Which happened as planned, and so I was predisposed to like this one. And there's the fact that I'm an archaeologist, and I've worked in museums, and done some conservation work...so this one seemed an obvious choice for me!

Hartland starts with specific question--how did the battered and broken sphinx of the Pharaoh Hatsheput get from a pit in Egypt to the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Her answer mirrors the story of "This is the house that Jack built," taking the sphinx from its beginning back in 1470 BC, when the Pharaoh ordered it, all the way to the museum.

Along the way we meet the cast of characters who played parts in its life story, starting with the ones that aren't a great surprise--the sculptor, the stepson who destroyed it, and the archaeologist who found it. But then things get really interesting, when we meet all the people who worked in the background -- the representative of the Egyptian Dept. of Antiquities, the art movers, the curator and conservators...and other staff members of the museum that the public seldom get to meet.

As the list of all the people involves grows, Hartland keeps things interesting with her discussion of each one's role in the process. The cumulative list is, by nature, repetitive, but it's spiced up by using different words to describe everyone's role each time the come around (and it seemed to amuse my children). The the illustrations, detailed but with a simple friendliness, help move the sphinx along nicely. And the sphinx's story is a fascinating one, not just for the fateful life of the sphinx itself, but because its journey required so many people bringing their particular areas of expertise to its journey from Egypt.

A perfect book to read to the young child who you think might do well later in life working museum (I liked the nice gender balance--the curators, for instance, are split fifty/fifty), or anyone with an interest in museums and Egyptology (a section with "more history" at the end will add to the book's appeal for this later audience). This is definitely one to read to your child before your first visit to see Antiquities, but it might well be enjoyed lots by any random kid who likes a swinging story with real life people.

The Non-Fiction Monday round-up this week is at Great Kid Books.

Welcome to the first Non-Fiction Monday Round-up of 2011

Thanks for stopping by for this first Non-Fiction Monday of the year!

My own contribution is The Dark Game: True Spy Stories, by Paul S. Janeczko (YA, Candlewick, 256 pages).

I turn to the Cybils Non-fiction shortlists as a tried and true source of great books for my kids (and me). Happily, I had one of the shortlisted titles already on hand--I'd gotten Janeczko's book out of the library a few weeks ago on the strength of the many positive reviews I'd been seeing of it. And it did not disappoint!

With stories of spies ranging from the Revolutionary War to today's cyber spying, Janeczko offers in depth looks at particular men and women and their espionage careers. He's not aiming for a comprehensive history of spying--rather, his focus is on stories that exemplify particular historical periods. And so there was a very personal element to this book--it's full of strong characters (both men and women) who keep the attention of the reader fixed on their adventures.

Many of the stories, what with the concomitant risks of being a spy, and the high military and political stakes involved, were full of suspense and kept me at the edge of my seat! And I kept looking up from the book to share things I'd learned with my family. I didn't know, for instance, that one of the key spies of the Revolution was an unnamed woman from New York. I didn't know that there was a group of Choctaw code talkers in World War One, or that a tunnel was dug under East Berlin to allow the West to tap into the Soviet phone lines. In short, I was both educated and entertained. And my ten year old son likewise--I'm reading it out loud to him, and he is enjoying it lots too.

A fine shortlist choice!

Please leave your non-fiction links in the comments, and I'll post them as the day progresses!

Speaking of the Cybils, several of the Non-Fiction Panelists share their shortlists--you can find them at Simply Science, Check It Out, and Picture Book of the Day.

At Great Kid Books you can find You and Me Together--Moms, Dads, and Kids Around the World, by Barbara Kerley, and One World, One Day, also by Barbary Kerley.

At NC Teacher Stuff, there's Beco's Big Year: A Baby Elephant Turns One, by Linda Stanek.

Shelf-employed offers up two books in the Food is CATegorical series, books "featuring the main food groups and healthy living."

Wendie's Wanderings looks at What's in a ...Hole? by Tracy Nelson Maurer.

At AAKidsBooksTalks you will find Simeon's Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping of Emmett Till, by Simeon Wright.

At Chicken Spaghetti there's Saving the Baghdad Zoo

Wild About Nature blog has a review of Arctic Lights Arctic Nights by Debbie S. Miller.

Abby the Librarian shares Come See the Earth Turn, by Lori Mortensen.

The Children's War features Remember D-Day: the Plan, the Invasion, Survivor Stories by Ronald J. Drez

The Cath in the Hat has I Can Sculpt, a how-to book on sculpting for young artists ages 4 to 7.

At Wrapped in Foil there's another Cybils shortlisted book--Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot

A favorite of mine, A Seed is Sleepy, can be found over at Jean Little Library.

And Pink Me has one for us grown-ups (on paper at least)--Print Workshop: Hand-printing techniques + truly original projects by Christine Schmidt.

Stacy Loscalzo looks at Just One Bite: 11 Animals and Their Bites at Life Size.

At Bookish Blather there's The Girl in the Song (the women who inspired 50 rock songs)

Thank you all for all the lovely links! Now I go back to stripping paint off cupboards...but I'll be checking back in.

Two more have joined:

Lori Calabrese looks at Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever.

And at TheHappyNappyBookseller you can find Come See the Earth Turn- The Story of Leon Foucault.

And a third--Beowulf: a Tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes, by Nicky Raven, illustrated by John Howe, at All About the Books with Janet Squires.

(I stripped the cupboard. While I was stripping that cupboard, however, a mouse became trapped in another cupboard, and ripped the fresh contact paper to shreds. Sigh. Our cat is the worst mouser ever. I have caught more mice than she has).

And one final contribution: At Rasco from RIF you can find The Native Trees of Canada.

Thank you all for joining in!!!

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science, by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier (Kids Can Press, 2010, 88 pages, ages 8 on up).

This is an utterly fascinating book, in which science, history, curiosity and determination (and a bit of luck) come together to solve mysteries from the past. All the nine cases looked at here involve people, and places, that apparently vanished -- Hatshepsut, Hsu Fu (a great Chinese navigator), the City of Ubar, the Anasazi, Sir John Franklin, Anastasia, George Mallory (lost climbing Everest), a lost airplane, the Star Dust, and finally, an Israli sub, the INS Dakar.

Each section begins by describing the disappearance in crime reporting fashion. Then the historical background is given, describing in detail the case in question. And then, enter the scientists and historians! Using a variety of high tech techniques (DNA testing, satellite imagery, robotics) and sheer determination (exploration of inhospitable places), men and women determined to find out what really happen set to work. In almost all of the cases covered, enough evidence was found to provide pretty definite answers. But still, mysteries remain...

The writing is exciting, and the science and history top-notch. The geographic coverage is great, and although there is a male bias in the scientists, women are there too. The illustrations are a nice mix of data presentation, artist's reconstructions, and actual images. But what makes this book really cool is its presentation of how directly applicable science is to history. Forget the white lab coat stereotype--here we have scientists actually doing cool things out in the world, and finding answers to mysteries! Pretty neat stuff!

This book should appeal greatly to any kid with a bent toward science, mysteries, and archaeology (who doesn't mind a few dead people)--at least, my own son loved it to pieces (here's his review, at his own blog, Pickled Bananas). In fact, the reason I am posting this review so late in the day is that I didn't get the chance I'd counted on to read it and write about it last night, when the boys were off downtown with their father, at his regular Irish music gig. Case Closed? ended up going down to the pub too...where it was read for the third time in one week.

The Non-fiction Monday round-up is at Playing By the Book today!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

Ask Me Everything, from D.K., for Non-fiction Monday

Ask Me Everything: Facts, Stats, Lists, Records, and More (D.K. 2010, 303 pages) is a delightful smorgasbord for the information devourer. 137 questions are answered, ranging from the expected scientific side of things (Why does Saturn have rings? Which animals lived in the Ice Age?) but also moving into geography (Where is the rice bowl of Asia? Can you really ski in Dubai?), Society and Culture (Why do we have myths? When does an animal become a pet?), and History (What was the Scientific Revolution? What is globalization?).

The questions are answered DK style, with double spreads full of information snippets, curious facts (with headings such as "I don't believe it!), and lots of pictures. Obviously, double page spreads, packed as full as only DK packs 'em, still aren't going to be enough to cover these complex topics entirely. But it's a great book to dip into repeatedly; a book that might well whet the appetite for more.

It's not so great to read aloud to two young boys--they will (in my experience) each try to pull the book of their (long-suffering) mother's lap so they can look more closely at the fascinating pictures....or, in trying to look more closely at the pictures (many of which are quite small) they will block their mother's view of the words. It's much more a book to leave lying around (we have mastered this technique in our house), luring them back to graze repeatedly.

The Non-Fiction Monday Round-up is at In Need of Chocolate today!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

The World of Donald Evans, by Willy Eisenhart, for Non-Fiction Monday

The World of Donald Evans, by Willy Eisenhart (1994) isn't a kid's book. But it is a book, I'm pretty sure, that a certain type of kid would find magical--the sort of kid who has imaginary worlds that they bring to life through art and writing.


That's what Donald Evans (1945-1977), did, with a twist. He hand-painted postage stamps of imaginary provinces and countries--whole sheets of stamps depicting flora and fauna, buildings, and people from places that never were. The resulting miniature watercolors have a strange and wondrous charm to them, and are rather beautiful in a surreal way.


Eisenhart's book begins with a brief biography of Evans, describing an imaginative childhood in which he and his best friend filled their days with world building. The book then moves on to the stamps themselves, and features page after page of illustrations of the stamps, and even the envelopes and postcards on which Evan's "mailed" them--he made his own cancellation marks. Eisenhart provides text explaining the images, and providing background on the fictional countries.

There's Katibo, an alternate Surinam, Lichaam and Geest, twin countries in the north of Europe, Mangiare, an Italianate country whose stamps include a series of landscapes named with food puns, and many more.

The resulting book makes for magical browsing... and it also makes me want to get out my own watercolors, and try my own hand at world building on this very small but far-reaching scale....My ten year old, a budding stamp collector, found it fascinating as well.

The Non-Fiction Monday Round-up is at Shelf Employed today!

Supernatural, from DK, for Non-Fiction Monday

Supernatural: Explore the Unknown, from Atlantis to Zombies, from DK Publishing (2010, middle grade, 96 pages) Ghosts. Mediums. Telepathy. Bigfoot. UFOs. These are just a few of the strange and scary topics are covered in DK’s Supernatural, which combines Seasonal Appropriateness, genuinely interesting content and lovely presentation.

The book is a thing of beauty, with silver boarder design and lettering, and a holographic image on the cover. It has much the same appeal, object-wise, as the –ology books (Dragonology, Monstorology, etc). It is given heft (enough so that it is a “tome’), by the thickness and sturdiness of the pages (almost board book thick). And inside is the usual combination that characterizes DK—the subject bites arranged in paragraphs, and accompanied by copious illustrations.

Many and various are the DK books that I have enjoyed reading with my children, but Supernatural is the first that I read cover to cover all by myself in one sitting! It relies heavily on authentic historical images, so that the reader sees the same photographs of ghosts that convinced the masses 100 years ago. There’s a picture of a medium with ectoplasm, a picture of a victim of spontaneous combustion (lying inside a fire place), and a picture of what a poltergeist did to an office back in the 1980s.. These historically-oriented topics I found tremendously engaging, and even more shop-worn topics (zombies and vampires) were not without interest.

This book is not intended to scare the reader, but to inform and educate. The creators of this book to side firmly on the side of disbelief, with “Dr. Doubt” (the self-proclaimed spokesman for “sanity and sense”) introducing the book and showing up to cast aspersions the reality of each topic covered. The book closes with a look at the two opposing sides of Spooked and Skeptic—fringe “scientists” vs. rational thinker and the reader is invited to choose their side. In my mind, at least, the perfectly rational explanations offered for some (but not all) of the supernatural mysteries presented, the gallery of famous hoaxes, and my own natural cynicism make the choice easy!

The Non-Fiction Monday Roundup is hosted by Mother Reader today!

(review copy received from the publisher)

Dragonart Evolution: How to Draw Everything Dragon, by J "NeonDragon" Peffer

Yesterday afternoon the boys and I had a very pleasant time drawing dragons, with the help of a new book -- Dragonart Evolution: How to Draw Everything Dragon, by J "NeonDragon" Peffer (Impact, 2010, 144 pages). It's the sort of book that just makes you want to open it up and start drawing....so we did!

In her book, Peffer emphasises the importance of getting a basic grasp of dragon anatomy--thinking how bones and muscles work together to create realistic creatures. She doesn't immediately plunge the book's users into step by step drawing of particular dragons, but encourages them to practice--the basic shapes, the framework, the building blocks. For particular aspects of detailed anatomy, she offers a variety of approaches.

I have tried dragon drawing in the past, and I have found that I have trouble with scales--all that repetition is daunting. But! I fear scales no more. With the help of Dragonart Evolution's six handy scale patterns, each presented in four steps, I feel that there is hope for my scale drawing (no pun intended). And this is just one of the many very, very detailed aspects of dragon drawing included in this book. Jaws, beaks, ears, wings, crests....all are offered to the book's user in a variety of shapes and manifestations. You can see the two page spread on Ears (and other pages of the book) here!

In the next section, the practitioner is encouraged to draw a wide variety of whole dragons, step by step from rough shapes to fine detail (I particularly liked the baby dragon, with its discussion of how the youngster would differ anatomically from the adult). It helps to have practiced hard with sketch after sketch of dragon anatomy before trying any of these; without doing that, one might not (and I speak from experience) get a decent final picture (there are reasons why I am not posting what I drew yesterday!). It's not a book for younger kids, who may well get frustrated (which my seven year old did, although he was the only one who actually finished a picture, but he's not allowing me to post it).

But creating perfect copies of particular dragons isn't the point of this book--it is more a set of practice templates, that can be used to build the skill set of the aspiring artist. I think that if I kept practicing, using this book's suggestions, I could create rather nice dragon drawings...They would look very different from Peffer's dragons (which I think of as the graphic novel/computer game sort of dragons), but they would, almost certainly, be more anatomically correct, and more diverse, than what I draw now!

In short, it's easy to recommend this book to any ten year old on up who wants to try their hand, or hone their skills, at dragon drawing.

I think this is the sort of a book that makes a great present (when you want to buy a book for a kid, and don't know what's on his or her shelves), especially when coupled with, perhaps, a deluxe watercolor set, or a copy of Photoshop. I include the later because a useful bonus feature of the book is a four page guide to digital painting, which is how the author creates her own artwork. I'm not sure it's enough in and of itself to teach novices how to create digital art, but it seems as though it would be helpful.

Here's another fine dragon drawing book, rather different in approach, that I reviewed long ago--Ralph Masiello's Dragon Drawing Book (2007, Charlesbridge)

(disclaimer: review copy of Dragonart Evolution received from the publisher)

The Non-fictin Monday Round-up is at Madigan Reads today! (her book for the round-up is also fantasy/crafty--zombie felties!!!)

What Goes On In My Head? from DK, for Non-fiction Monday

What Goes On In My Head? How your brain works and why you do what you do, by Robert Winston (DK 2010, 96 pages)

Even after reading this fascinating book, I'm still not sure why I do what I do (many other people might be wondering as well). But that isn't the book's fault.

What Goes On In My Head? is a high-level look at the complexities of the brain. The author succeeds in using clear language to discuss sophisticated concepts, without condescending to the younger reader by eschewing latinate words or relying on doubtful metaphors (the computer metaphor is mentioned, but not overdone).

The book kicks off with a really fascinating time line of brain related discoveries, from the trepanning practiced by paleolithic humans, to scientists of whom I had never heard (Hermann von Helholtz or Jose Delgado, anyone?). It then goes on to discuss "Brain and Body" (the most scientifically dense chapter), "I think therefore I am" (consciousness and personality), "The Feeling Mind," and "Brain Power" (memory, creativity, a critical look at psychic powers, and robot minds). I did regret that little attention was paid to how things go awry in the brain (I'm a huge fan, for instance, of Oliver Sacks), but you can't have everything.

There's a lot here, presented in true DK style with crisp paragraphs, lots of pictures, and activities for the reader's own brain. The result is a book that my older son and I found utterly engrossing. But because of the pretty high level of information presented, especially toward the beginning of the book, I think will work best for the older kid with some background in the nervous system...otherwise, all the talk of ganglias and photoreceptors and neurons might be daunting (although the later chapters, I think, are pretty easy to grasp).

Random interesting thing I learned: The unconscious part of the brain sometimes makes decisions up to ten seconds before our consciousness kicks in. I am now regarding my brain with suspicion.

Non-random bit I'm storing away in my own mind to bring out in just a few more years--"The age at which you take the most risks is 14. That could be because the 14-year old basal ganglia are in full working order, giving you the thrill of excitement during risky behaviour, but the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain controlling decisions), is still maturing, so the brakes are missing" (page 67).

The Non-Fiction Monday Roundup is at Wendie's Wanderings today!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)