Barb's Reads for Children Lit

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. (2010). They called themselves the K.K.K. : the birth of an American terrorist group . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780618440337 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Susan Campbell Bartoletti writes the true story of what happened in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1866. Bartoletti collected the testimonies from various people that lived through this dark time and developed this book. This “club”, later known as the Ku Klux Khan, made of Confederate men would secretly meet and would terrorize physically and psychologically any black slaves that would attempt to exercise their newly given rights as citizens. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Susan Campbell Bartoletti writes the raw true story of what happened in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1866. This raw story is a collection of testimonies from various people that lived through this dark time. This “club”, later known as the Ku Klux Khan, was made of Confederate men who would secretly meet and terrorize physically and psycholog...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Greenberg, J., & Jordan, S. (2013). The mad potter : George E. Ohr, eccentric genius . Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596438101 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan write the true story of artist George E. Ohr, taking place after the Civil War. Greenberg and Jordan write about how Ohr became a uniquely talented pottery artist and how his success lives on even till this day.   CRITICAL ANALYSIS Greenberg and Jordan write about the uniquely talented pottery artist known as the “Mad Potter”, George E. Ohr. The story is simply written with facts of how the flamboyant, rebel, genius Ohr struggled to find his calling in life. Eventually he finds himself enjoying creating pots out of mud and later finding his artistic talent. Ohr’s pottery art was ahead of its time and provided for him and his family. He later described himself as the “unequaled, unrivaled, undisputed, greatest art potter on the earth”. The book is full of wonderful h...

 BIBLIOGRAPHY Farrell, Mary Cronk. (2022). Close-up on war . Abrams. ISBN 9781419746611 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Mary Cronk Farrell writes the true story about a French journalist, Catherine Leroy. In 1966, she flew to Vietnam to travel alongside with the marines to capture, photograph, and document the events they lived through the bloody war. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Farrell writes this colorful, descriptive biography about a pioneering photojournalist, Catherine Leroy. Leroy was the only brave female photojournalist that chose to experience what the marines experienced in this bloody war. Leroy crawled in dirt, witnessed shootings, beatings, death, bombings, and was even shot and captured by the North Vietnamese soldiers, all alongside with the marines. But nothing stopped her from documenting the true torturous reality of war.  This book is rich with historical, raw, uncensored photos and letters of war from cover to cover capturing every moment she witnessed. This should ...

BIBLIOGRAPHY Sidman, J. (2007). This is just to say : poems of apology and forgiveness. Illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 9780618616800 PLOT SUMMARY In this unique poetry book, Joyce Sidman writes about a sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Merz, and how she decides to have her students write apology poems and in turn, have their responders write a poem back in response to those apologies. This book is divided into parts, first part are the apology poems and second part are the responses in forgiveness poems.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS Joyce Sidman writes about a sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Merz, and how she has her students write poems of apologies and gets the respondents to write a poem back to them. Mrs. Merz collects all of her students' apology poems and forgiveness poems and cleverly places them together in the poetry book. This unique book is cleverly written with a lot of honest clarity. This book will surely make you laugh and cry. Pamela Zagarenski’s illust...

 BIBLIOGRAPHY   Wilson, K. (2022). The Most dazzling girl in Berlin . HarperCollins.  ISBN 9780358448907 PLOT SUMMARY In this novel verse, Kip Wilson writes about an 18 year old orphan named Hilde. The story takes place in Berlin where World War II is about to start. Hilde is finally allowed to leave her orphanage to start her own life. Hilde, having nothing to her name, struggles as she tries to find food, work and a home. Just when she was about to give up, she finds a glimmer of hope at a gay cabaret club called Cafe Lila. There she makes a friend that welcomes her and takes her in, but meanwhile the future of Berlin is at stake. CRITICAL ANALYSIS In this brilliant novel verse written by Kip Wilson, writes about an 18 year old orphan named Hilde. The story takes place in Berlin where World War II is about to start. She is finally released from the orphanage. Hilde is shy and desperately looking for food, work and shelter. The brilliantly written verses makes you feel a...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Singer, M. (2019). I’m the big one now! : poems about growing up . Illus. by Jana Christy. Honesdale,           Pennsylvania: Wordsong. ISBN 9781629791692 PLOT SUMMARY In this poetry book, Marilyn Singer writes poems based on important children’s milestones in life. Some of the poems are about: first time riding a bike, snapping your fingers, counting money, first visit to the ocean, tying my shoes, and holding my new brother, to name a few. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Marilyn Singer writes poems about important children’s milestones in their life. In this lovely book, Singer writes about growing up and how exciting it was to ride your bike for the first time, cooking for mom for the first time, first big-kid party, and holding her little brother for the first time, to name a few. This lovely book describes all the accomplishments that a child goes through in their life. Jana Christy’s illustrations are beautifully made with characters with differ...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Frost, H. (2009). Crossing Stones . Frances Foster Books. ISBN 9780374316532 PLOT SUMMARY In this poetry book, Helen Frost writes about eighteen year old Muriel Jorgensen that lives on one side of the Crabapple Creek with her family. On the other side of that creek, lives their neighbors and family’s closest friends, the Normans. Both families are coming to terms with the realization of a world war happening and the enlisting of one of Norman's eighteen year old sons, Frank. But Muriel is upset about the stereotypical woman’s place in society and finds herself supporting the women’s suffrage movement. In these challenging times, both families look to each other now more than ever for each other’s support.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS In this cleverly written book, Helen Frost writes poems based on each character’s perspectives. Both families, Jengensens and Normans, are coming to terms with the realization of a world war happening and the enlisting of one of Norman's eigh...