Write On, Mercy!

The Secret Life of
Mercy Otis Warren

This post joins other
Nonfiction Monday blogs
hosted today by Shelf-Employed

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Calkins Creek (Boyds Mills Press)
(pub. 3.1.2012) 40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Gretchen Woelfle

     and Illustrator:  Alexandra Wallner

C haracters: Mercy Otis Warren

O verview from the publisher's website: 

      "Growing up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Mercy Otis Warren was fortunate to go to school with her brother. When she married Patriot James Warren, Mercy wrote in secret—poetry, plays, and about the events of her time. She wrote of the people she knew, including George Washington and John and Abigail Adams. It wasn’t until Mercy was older that her literary life became known, with the publication of her three-volume history of the American Revolution. This is the first picture-book biography of an intrepid woman chronicler."

T antalizing taste: 

    "Mercy kept house in Plymouth and raised five sons. But she had a secret life, too. When her children were asleep, she wrote poems. She didn't let her schooling fade away...Life was quiet in Plymouth, but in nearby Boston, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty were raising a ruckus...Soon Plymouth joined the clamor. Mercy named her house 'One Liberty Square.'...Most women would have stayed out of sight, but not Mercy."

and something more: As I've just attended the inspiring SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Annual Summer conference, I thought it fitting to feature a picture book biography of a female writer. I'm impressed that the author, Gretchen Woelfle, "read thirty years of letters in Mercy's own hand" on microfilm provided to her by The Massachusetts Historical Society. And bravo to editor Carolyn P. Yoder to whom Write On, Mercy! was dedicated because she "encouraged this project from start to finish. For this, her flawless editing, and ongoing friendship she receives this book's dedication." As an author, I'm always pleased to see editors receive the well deserved credit they deserve -- I'm in awe of the guidance, support and just the right touch great editors truly provide to writers.

Read More

You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!

This post joins other
Nonfiction Monday blogs
hosted today by Sally's Bookshelf

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Schwartz & Wade Books
(Random House)
(pub.1.8.2013) 40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Jonah Winter
      and Illustrator: Terry Widener

    

C haracter: Willie Mays

O verview from the publisher's website: 

      "He hit 660 home runs (fourth best of all time), had a lifetime batting average of .302, and is second only to Babe Ruth on The Sporting News's list of 'Baseball's 100 Greatest Players.' Many believe him to be the best baseball player that ever lived. His name is Willie Mays. In Jonah Winter and Terry Widener's fascinating picture book biography, young readers can follow Mays's unparalleled career from growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, to playing awe-inspiring ball in the Negro Leagues and then the Majors, where he was center fielder for the New York (later San Francisco) Giants. Complete with sidebars filled with stats, and a cool lenticular cover, here is a book for all baseball lovers, young and old."

T antalizing taste: 

     "You could fill a whole book with all the jaw-droppin' plays Willie made, all the homers he hit, all the bases he stole. But what made 'the Catch' in '54 so special was that millions of people all over America had seen it on TV ... 
      Just look at him: Even as he falls to his knees after makin' that play, his eyes still takin' in the path of the ball - even then, you could see he was mentally still in the game, wantin' to win, never givin' up, ready for more.
     Yessir, in that one moment when Willie made the Catch, he showed the world a new way of playing the game. He changed how people saw his skin. In his own way, he changed the world."

and something more: Today's feature of yet another baseball player biography picture book was inspired by fellow kidlit blogger, Jeff Barger at NC Teacher Stuff. Jeff asked if I knew of any picture book about Willie Mays. Voila! Jeff had recently visited my favorite and local baseball stadium, AT&T Park in San Francisco, and I had mentioned the sculpture of Willie Mays in front of the ballpark.
     I learned that WIllie Mays joined the SF Giants in 1958. Just this past May, Willie Mays celebrated his 82nd birthday and the San Francisco Chronicle posted photos from his career. A living legend and amazing role model!

Read More

Becoming Babe Ruth

This post joins other
Nonfiction Monday blogs
hosted today by Wrapped in Foil

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Candlewick Press
(pub. 2.12.2013) 40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and Illustrator: Matt Tavares

    

C haracter: Babe Ruth

O verview from the jacket flap: 

      "Before becoming the Babe, George Herman Ruth is just a boy who lives in Baltimore and gets into a lot of trouble. But when he tuns seven, his father brings him to the gates of Saint Mary's Industrial School of Boy, and his life is changed forever.
       At Saint Mary's, George is expected to follow a lot of rules - and he gets to play baseball almost every day. Under the watchful eye of Brother Matthias, George evolves as a player and as a man, when he sets of into the wild world of big-league baseball, his family back at Saint Mary's is never far from his heart.
      Matt Tavares's striking homage ... conveys an important message about honoring the place from which you came."

T antalizing taste: 

"A fire has swept through

Saint Mary's Industrial School for Boys.
Nearly every building has been destroyed.
Babe Ruth has an idea.
He writes a letter to Brother Matthias...
For the final two weeks
of the 1920 baseball season,
the school bank form Saint Mary's
gets to join the New York Yankees
on a road trip across America...
The fifty boys from Saint Mary's
get to go to all the games.
They play a concert in the stands
before each game
and another concert every night...
to help rebuild the place where
the 'Sultan of Swat'
learned how to play baseball." 

and something more: I've been featuring baseball player picture books lately -- must be a summer series!  I like that this story not only pays tribute to the enormous influence of Father Matthias in helping Babe Ruth develop into a star baseball play, but also the focus on the need to practice, practice, practice one's passion. As author/illustrator Matt Tavares explains in the Author's Note: "As a lifelong baseball fan, I've always been fascinated by Babe Ruth. As I researched his life, one thing that struck me was the fact that even the 'Sultan of Swat,' who seemed to possess superhuman abilities, needed lots of help along the way. Becoming the king of baseball took countless hours of practice and plenty of support and guidance from his school and from his teacher and mentor, Brother Matthias." 

Read More

Something To Prove

The Great Satchel Paige 
vs. Rookie Joe DiMaggio

This post joins other
Nonfiction Monday blogs
hosted today by Abby the Librarian

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Carolrhoda Books (Lerner Publishing)
(pub. 1.1.2013) 32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Robert Skead

     and Illustrator:  Floyd Cooper

C haracters: Satchel Paige and Joe DiMaggio

O verview from the jacket flap: 

      "In 1936, the New York Yankees wanted to test a hot prospect named Joe DiMaggio to see if he was ready for the big leagues. They knew just the ballpayer to call - Satchel Paige, the best pitcher anywhere, black or white.
      For the game, Paige joined a group of amateur African American players, and they faced off against a team of white major leaguers plus young DiMaggio. The odds were stacked against the less-experienced black team. But Paige's skillful batting and amazing pitching - with his 'trouble ball' and 'bat dodger' - kept the game close.
      Would the rookie DiMaggio prove himself as a major league player?
      Or would Paige once again prove his greatness - and the injustice of segregated baseball?"

T antalizing taste: 

    "Satchel was the marvel of the country. He might even have been the greatest pitcher in the world. but because of the color of his skin, he was not permitted to play in the major leagues...
    Satchel decided to throw the nervous rookie [Joe DiMaggio] his 'whipsey dipsey do.'  He started the windmill delivery, kicked his leg high, and hurled the ball. Joe watched the pitch dip and dance - and he swung and missed. He took a deep breath, readied his bat, and steadied his legs for the next serving. 
      Time to cut loose my 'four-day creeper,' thought Satch.
       ... DiMaggio beamed. 'Now I know I can make it with the Yankees. I finally got a hit off Ol' Satch,' he said."

and something more: Just imagine what Satchel Paige could have accomplished if he had been given the same opportunity to join the big leagues as Joe DiMaggio?

Read More

As Fast As Words Could Fly

This post joins other Nonfiction Monday blogs

hosted today by Ms. Yingling Reads

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Lee & Low Books
(pub. 4.2013) 32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Pamela M. Tuck

     and Illustrator:  Eric Velasquez

C haracter: Mason Steele (fictional character inspired by real-life experiences of the author's father, Moses Teel Jr)

O verview from the jacket flap: 

      "Young Mason Steele takes pride in turning his father's excited ramblings about the latest civil rights incidents into handwritten business letters. One day Pa comes home with a gift from his civil rights group: a typewriter. Thrilled with the present, Mason spends all his spare time teaching himself to type. Soon he knows where every letter on the keyboard is located.
        When the civil rights group wins a school desegregation case, Mason learns that now he will be attending a formerly all-white high school. Despite his fears and injustice from the students and faculty, Mason perseveres [and] decides to take a stand, using his skills to triumph over prejudice and break racial barriers."

T antalizing taste: 

    "'Mason Steel, from Belvoir High, has broken all previous records with a typing speed of sixty-five words per minute.'
     No one cheered. Mason just stared straight ahead.
     Mr. Bullock accepted the typing championship plaque for Belvoir High. Not a single person in the audiencd applauded.
    Mason received nothing...
    'Why in the world did you choose a manual typewriter? [instead of an electric one which all the other students in the competition used]'
    Mason cleared his throat. 'Cause it reminds me of where I come from, sir.'"

and something more: I was very pleased to be asked by Lee & Low Books if I would like to feature AS FAST AS WORDS COULD FLY on my blog. Although it's not a nonfiction picture book biography, I feel this new terrific picture book fits within the "something more" category of my blog.  I believe stories inspired by true events, especially those based on stories of people close to us, can be as rich and inspiring as nonfiction biographies. 
      I was touched by Pamela M. Tuck's explanation of the genesis of this book, as she explains on her website: 

        "The inspiration to turn a snippet of my father’s story into a picture book was initiated by my husband, Joel. In listening to my father tell his story over and over, his determination to excel always overshadowed his oppositions. Although he mentioned his fears and his feelings of isolation, his confidence kept him from wavering. He held his own personal pep rally, by telling himself, “I can do this.” At first, I didn’t think I could give my father’s story justice as a picture book, and my husband became my personal cheerleader by telling me, “You can do it.” It’s ironic how the same willpower that enabled my father to surpass his doubts, also allowed me to surpass mine."

         I certainly have been blessed by many cheerleaders in my life and I truly cherish each and every one of them. Surpassing one's doubts, especially in the face of discrimination as Pamela M. Tuck's father and countless others did, is to be credited. AS FAST AS WORDS COULD FLY is just the type of book that will not only teach children about the injustices of the 1960's in the United States, but will also inspire children to believe in themselves to overcome life's challenges and obstacles. 

Read More

Louisa May's Battle

How the Civil War 
Led to Little Women

This post joins other Nonfiction Monday blogs hosted today
by Playing by the book

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Walker Books for Young Readers
(Bloomsbury)
(pub. 3.5.2013) 48 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Kathleen Krull

     and Illustrator:  Carlyn Beccia

C haracter: Louisa May Alcott

O verview from the jacket flap: 

      "Louisa May Alcott was a proper young lady from a poor but respected New England family. The Alcotts believed that slavery was wrong and even worked as part of the Underground Railroad. So when the Civil War started, Louisa longed to fight for the North. But since she wasn't a man, she did what she could - she volunteered as a war nurse.
       Everything about this experience opened Louisa's eyes to new possibilities: from the long and difficult journey to Washington DC to caring fro the young injured soldiers and witnessing the treatment of the African American staff. Louisa returned from the war a very different person, and these changes led her to develop a new writing style and outlook that ultimately led to her greatest writing triumph, Little Women."

T antalizing taste: 

    "Any spare minute she had, she wrote home, letters full of snap and bite, using an upside-down teakettle as a desk. She chatted about her soldiers - and also about the chaos at the hospital, or the doctor who had trouble treating his patients as human beings...
     Being a war veteran was the key to all that she accomplished: 'My greatest pride is... that I had a very small share in the war which put an end to a great wrong.'"

and something more: I liked the description in the Women in Medicine section of Louisa May's Battle: "Most of the women in medicine were also active in fighting for equal rights for women - including Alcott, who took to signing her letters, 'Yours for reform of all kinds.'"  What a lovely way to sign one's name!

Read More

Mary Walker Wears the Pants

The True Story of
The Doctor, Reformer,
and Civil War Hero

This post joins other Nonfiction Monday blogs hosted today
by Practically Paradise

and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Albert Whitman & Company
(pub. 3.1.2013) 32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Cheryl Harness

     and Illustrator:  Carlo Molinari

C haracter: Mary Walker

O verview from the jacket flap: 

      "Mary Edwards Walker was always an outspoken woman. She was one of America's first woman doctors, and she fought for women's rights and gave speeches around the county. But she could also make a statement just by walking down the street - wearing pants in a time when women always wore dresses!
       When the Civil War struck, she set out to serve her country and treat wounded soldiers - not as a nurse, but a a doctor. She faced extreme danger behind enemy lines and for her bravery she received the Medal of Honor, the highest award a war veteran can receive. She remains the first and only woman to ever hold this honor..."

T antalizing taste: 

    "After the war, audiences in America and abroad paid to hear Mary tell about her Civil War service and her imprisonment - and to see her in her notorious gentlemanly suit. It got her laughed at and made people angry. It caused scenes and even got her arrested! ...
    But there was more to Mary than her trousers. She lived as she believed, as an individual, fully equal and entitled to walk, breathe, and think freely, unbound by a corset or her society's expectations."

                       

and something more: I was intrigued by the statement that Mary Edwards Walker was "the first and only woman" to ever receive the Medal of Honor. The back matter explains that "in 1917, the U.S. Congress ordered 84 year-old Mary, along with 910 other honorees, to return their Medals of Honor. The rules had been changed: the medal could only be awarded to those who'd been in 'actual combat with the enemy.' ... Mary refused to give back her medal. She wore it all the remaining days of her life until she died... at the age of 86... And, on June 10, 1977, President Jimmy Carter officially restored the Medal of Honor to Dr. Mary Edwards Walker." Only fair given the injustice of taking back medals because the rules changed later!

Read More