Away with Words

Isabella Bird was like a wild vine stuck in a too-small pot. She needed more room. She had to get out. She had to explore. Exploring was easier said than done in Victorian England. But Isabella persisted, and with each journey, she breathed in new ways to see and describe everything around her. Question by question, word by word, Isabella bloomed. First, out in the English countryside. Then, off to America and Canada. And eventually, around the world, to Africa, Asia, Australia, and more.

Always more―more places, more questions, more words―and all those experiences became books, in which she described the land she traveled, the people she met, and the dangers she experienced, to a fascinated audience who could only dream of such travels and adventures.

This dashing picture book biography about the first female member of the Royal Geographical Society takes readers around the world with a daring nineteenth-century female explorer and bestselling author. Kristy Caldwell’s detailed, graphic novel-like illustrations illuminate Bird’s travels around the world, with words and phrases from Bird’s own writing sprinkled throughout the story. Lori Mortensen’s back matter, author’s note, and bibliography will satisfy the curiosity of readers who want to learn more.

Away With Words is the perfect book to start off Women’s History Month! Not only does it highlight a woman who struggled under the circumstances of her time, when women were expected to wear dresses and corsets, stay at home instead of go to school, and sacrifice their own needs for those of their families, but it also celebrates a strong, brave, and independent woman who broke free from societal expectations to experience adventures and feats that even women and men today would find inspiring. Read an excerpt here. And for ideas of how to use this book in the classroom and beyond, check out the teacher’s guide with included curriculum connections.

“Mortensen distills a very full life into a condensed but readable narrative for primary-grade children.… Children who hope to forge their own paths can take heart from this picture-book biography.” ―Booklist

“Mortensen writes in a precise, poetic manner… This volume captures the spirit of a woman who embraced new experiences and played by her own rules…” ―Publishers Weekly

“Caldwell’s illustrations are clean and beautiful.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Follow along with our blog tour, where bloggers will be featuring reviews, interviews, book lists, and even a giveaway!
Good Reads with Ronna
Let’s Talk Picture Books
Pragmatic Mom
Geo Librarian
Kid Lit Frenzy

Get your copy of Away with Words: The Daring Story of Isabella Bird on Amazon or at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble!

You  might know who some of the biggest or strongest animals are, but what about the smallest or slowest? Do you know which animal is so stinky, it smells worse than cow manure? Well, it’s time to celebrate these underdogs in the animal world! Take a lighthearted look at the surprising traits that help some animals survive in Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs.

Written with a lively, engaging voice, this nonfiction picture book introduces young readers to a variety of animals that might be known for more negative-sounding qualities, like being “lazy” or “clumsy.” Using humorous yet informative text, award-winning author Melissa Stewart explains how these characteristics that might seem like weaknesses actually can be critical for survival in the animal kingdom. Stephanie Laberis’s bright, bold—and scientifically accurate—illustrations add to the fun. While offering interesting facts about real animals, this book also provides a gentle message of understanding and celebrating differences found in everyone, human or animal.

Starting September 1 we will be introducing some of these fascinating animals and what makes them so special. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram to meet some animal underdogs from Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers!

“Friendly and approachable, this compendium is sure to create some new favorites in the animal kingdom.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The point that every animal, no matter how seemingly weak, has ‘its own special way of surviving’ is effectively made. The narrative also offers discussion-encouraging questions, and the lively painted portraits depict the animals fairly realistically, placing them in simplified natural settings, sometimes with a humorous touch.” —Booklist

 Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers is going on a blog tour next week! Don’t miss the stops along the way!
Librarian’s Quest
Pragmatic Mom
Great Kid Books
Nonfiction Detectives
Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook

Find Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers on Amazon or at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble September 1! And be sure to check out the Teacher’s Guide, Readers Theater, and Meet the Animal Underdogs: Vital Stats and Map resources.

Have you ever noticed the sound of persistent pecking on your house or a nearby tree? About Woodpeckers written by Cathryn Sill and illustrated by John Sill gives young readers a first look at the fascinating and surprisingly diverse world of woodpeckers.

In this newest addition to the About… series, author Cathryn Sill provides information about the common characteristics of these special birds and offers details about how and why they use their beaks to drill and peck at hard surfaces. With the help of beautifully detailed illustrations from noted wildlife instructor John Sill, About Woodpeckers brings 19 different species of woodpeckers to life. An afterword, glossary, and list of resources provide more details about the woodpeckers portrayed in the illustrations. From depicting their various habitats to the kinds of materials that each type of bird likes to peck, this informative read is sure to capture the interest of all curious young minds and budding birders.

“Transports the reader directly into the lives of these amazing forest carpenters…the images are worthy of framing. A delightful read.”
—Stephen A. Shunk, author of the Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America

Take a peek at some of the beautifully detailed illustrations below, and don’t forget to check out the About… series page for more books in this award-winning series and the series Teacher’s Guide for ideas on how to use the information in the classroom!

Discussion guide

The Universe of Fair
by Leslie Bulion, illustrated by Frank W. Dormer

For a young science whiz, an eagerly awaited day at the fair turns into a wacky adventure with more twists and loops than the Gravity Whirl ride!

more contemporary fiction:

The Somewhat True Adventures of Sammy Shine by Henry Cole
Do You Know the Monkey Man? by Dori Hillestad Butler
Winners Take All by Fred Bowen

Discussion Guide

Crossing Jordan
by Adrian Fogelin

When African-American Jemmie moves in next door to white Cassie, the two girls must learn how to address their parents’ deeply held prejudices.

more from Adrian Fogelin:

My Brother’s Hero
The Big Nothing
Anna Casey’s Place in the World

Discussion Guide

Quake! Disaster in San Francisco, 1906
by Gail Langer Karwoski, illustrated by Robert Papp

Jacob tries to find his family who are missing in the aftermath of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.

more historical fiction:

Privateer’s Apprentice by Susan Verrico
Chasing the Nightbird by Krista Russell
The Other Side of Free by Krista Russell

Discussion Guide

Darling, Mercy Dog of World War I
by Alison Hart, illustrated by Michael G. Montgomery

When the British military asks families to volunteer their dogs to help the war effort, Darling’s family sends her off to be trained.

more from Alison Hart:

Murphy, Gold Rush Dog
Finder, Coal Mine Dog
Leo, Dog of the Sea

Find these books and more at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble! For more reading suggestions this summer, check out our summertime reading and summer-themed round-ups.

For children who are growing up and learning what the women before them have accomplished, these true stories are sure to inspire.

In 1863, when Ida B. Wells was not yet two years old, the Emancipation Proclamation freed her from the bond of slavery. Blessed with a strong will, an eager mind, and a deep belief in America’s promise of “freedom and justice for all,” young Ida held her family together, defied society’s conventions, and used her position as a journalist to speak against injustice. But Ida’s greatest challenge arose after one of her friends was lynched. How could one headstrong young woman help free America from the looming “shadow of lawlessness”?

Bessie, a young girl growing up in the 1890s, doesn’t understand why she can’t go hiking with her brothers and her dad. It is not until Susan B. Anthony comes to town that Bessie realizes she has the power to stand up for what she believes in, even if it only inspires a small change.

There is a moment in the book where Bessie says, “I wondered if an eclipse were coming over me.” This poetic thought provides an opportunity to discuss how human emotions can be portrayed by events in nature. Try this activity with your class for further understanding:

• Ask your students to write a poem about an event in nature that they have observed (a bird fluttering around a flower, a sunset, a rainstorm, a wave crashing against the shore, anything!).
• In the poem, students should write about the setting and event.
• Encourage your students to connect their chosen event with an emotion or feeling.
• After, discuss what Bessie means when she says, “I wondered if an eclipse were coming over me,” (Possible answer: She wonders if she might become sad inside for a time).

Grades K-3

This book brings kids face to face with one of their worst fears: vegetables. Author, Danny Schnitzlein draws from his own childhood aversion to peas in order to create a story that helps readers to examine their own fears.

The monster that helps get rid of the main character’s peas soon asks for something in return: his dog. The boy must decide which is more important to him.

Try this activity with your class after reading The Monster Who Ate My Peas together:

• Ask students to draw a monster that has never been seen before.
• Allow them to use markers, colored, pencils, crayons, pipe cleaners, buttons, pom poms, and glue to bring their monsters to life.
• Then, ask students to write a story about the monster they created. What is the monster’s name? Was it always a monster? If not, how did it become a monster? Is the monster really evil or does it just look scary?
• After they are done, let the students share the pictures of their monsters and give a summary of the monster’s background to the class.
• Have fun!

Grades K-3

When a new peacock shows up at the farm, three hens become jealous of the attention this newcomer receives. Peacock graciously tries to trade places with the hens by sitting in the hen house while they strut outside, trying to attract customers, but it is no use. Each is meant for their own job and they cannot try to be something they are not.

Try this activity with your class after reading Three Hens and a Peacock in order to emphasize vocabulary while also learning that it is okay to be different from one another.

•  Read through Three Hens and a Peacock aloud a second time.
• This time, have the students raise their hands when they hear an interesting word, or one they don’t understand.
• Place those words on a list and try to define by using context clues.
• Discuss correct meanings for each word.
• Words to look out for: cud, quart, peacock, fancy, shrieking, eventually, folks, admire, booming, brewing, lazy, moped, glamorous, bangles, gussied up, strutted, flocked, cramped, trudged, exhausted, and stellar

Grades 3-8

Social justice can be a very hard topic to discuss at any age, let alone with young children. Watch Out for Flying Kids tackles many important topics, each applicable in different ways to most kids who read it. Yet, understanding the issues that surround the kids in this book can be hard to grasp. Try this activity with your class in order to better understand the complexities behind equality:

• Bring to class enough lemons for each of your students to have one.
• Distribute the lemons to the students and ask them to “Get to know their lemon.”
• Students may look for any unique marks on the lemons surface, its shape, and can even draw on the lemon if they wish, so long as they know which lemon is theirs.
• Collect the lemons and put them in one basket; ask the students to retrieve their lemon (students should have no trouble with this).
• After the students have retrieved their lemons, collect them once more until Part II of the activity the next day.
• Before class the next day, peal each of the student’s lemons and return them to the basket.
• When the students come in for class, ask them to please find their lemon in the basket.
• The students should not be able to differentiate between the lemons; this will teach them that although we all look different on the outside, on the inside we are all people with hopes and dreams just like everyone else.
• Following the activity, prompt a discussion about how this lesson is learned in Watch Out for Flying Kids.

Grades 4-6

Gulliver’s Travels was one of the first novels in history to spark the phenomenon now known as “fan fiction.” Today, we find hundreds of novels, short stories, TV shows, and movies that give a different perspective on some of our most famous works; for example, the Wicked Witch of the West is secretly misunderstood—and also very musically talented—Elizabeth Bennett becomes the next new zombie slayer, Joanna replaces Katniss as the leader of the revolution against the Capitol, and, finally, the untold story of what happens to Gulliver after he returns becomes a fight for hope and freedom.

Lilliput contains many lessons within its pages—the importance of hope and the preciousness of a single moment to name a few—but perhaps its biggest takeaway is that imagination is limitless. Not only does Lily, the main character, think of brilliant ways to return to her home, but Sam Gayton, the author himself, also employs Lilly’s imaginative mindset in deciding to create a sequel to the beloved classic, Gulliver’s Travels.

Imagination is precious at all ages, but it is particularly important during one’s adolescence. Lilliput provides an avenue to discuss Gulliver’s Travels and the events that take place after its conclusion, but it also serves as a platform to discuss the untold stories behind novels that students already love. After discussing Gulliver’s Travels and reading Lilliput with your class, ask your students how Lilliput has changed their perspective on Gulliver’s Travels, if at all. Then, spark another conversation about the student’s favorite books; have they ever wondered if there was a different side to those stories? After discussing the possibilities for a few moments, give your students the freedom to write their own versions of those stories. They will practice their writing skills, but more importantly, they will be challenged creatively.

Click here for the full summary of Lilliput.