The Tarantula Scientist

3/27/2013

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by Michelle Hand for TWU Course Literature for Children and Young Adults

Montgomery, Sy and Nic Bishop (Photographer). 2004. THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST (SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD SERIES). Boston, MA: Houghton  Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780618915774. 
This is an informational book about Sam Marshall, spider scientist, as he explores the rainforest of French Guiana searching for tarantulas, studying their behaviors and habitats.

Critical Analysis
In TARANTULA SCIENTIST, Sy Montgomery takes the reader into the world of  Sam Marshall and his South American exploration of finding and studying the largest spider in the world, the Goliath birdeater tarantula. Photographer Nic Bishop uses magnificent macro
photography to bring to life Marshall's quest. Even if the reader is scared of spiders, the photographs and other visual aids pull the reader into the fascinating world of tarantulas' physical characteristics such as yellow blood, silk of steel and skeletons on the outside as well as their unusual defense mechanism behavior, mating rituals and sense of community.

Montgomery ensures, through Marshall and his research, that all  information is accurate and sources are cited in the back of the book.  Montgomery and Marshall also use clear wording to differentiate facts from  theory such as giving an hypothesis about how tarantulas make a hissing noise  then taking the reader step by step on testing that hypothesis to either prove it wrong or right. 

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST'S is organized and categorized to where a reader can start learning about Marshall's exploration and tarantulas on any given page. A table of contents assist readers with topics but the illustrations and photographs can be viewed separate from the text and still be understood. The extraordinary photographs of several different species of  tarantulas and also wolf spiders and scorpions  draw the reader in starting with the
cover and on every page in between.  All visual aids are kid friendly with understandable captions. These visual aids are what holds a young reader's attention.  According to a nine
year old, some of the vocabulary and text is hard to underst and without the guidance from an adult. With assistance, this book engages the young reader and draws he or she into the world of tarantulas with an awe of just how complex they are leaves the reader wanting to know when Montgomery will team up with Marshall and Bishop again to teach us more about these wonderful creatures.
 
Review Excerpt(s)
"Informative, yes, but even more important,  this is a vivid look at an enthusiastic scientist energetically and happily at work, both in the field and in the lab, questioning, examining, testing, and  making connections. A treat, even for arachnophobes." - Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

"Readers will come away armed with facts about spiders in general and tarantulas in
particular, but even more important, they'll have a clear understanding of how
the answers derived from research become the roots of new, intriguing questions."  Stephanie Zvirin -  Booklist

"Montgomery has a gift for scene-setting [and] deftly weaves clear explanations into the main text. Bishop's phenomenal photos show spiders mating, shedding their skin, even leaping through the air.  It's enough to make Miss Muffet fall in love." — Kirkus  Reviews, starred review

2005 Robert F. Sibert Honor  Book
2005 Texas Bluebonnet  Award
2004 School Library Journal's Best Books of the Year

 Connections
-Have the students research different types of spiders and describe their habitat, diet and anatomy. 
-Have the students research different creatures that live in the rainforest. 
-Not all tarantulas live in rainforests. Have the students research different types of tarantulas and their habitats. 
-Some people have tarantulas as pets. Have students research and report on the pros and cons of owning a tarantula. 
Connections from “Teacher's Resources,” Houghton Mifflin, accessed March 25, 2013,
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/librarians/teacher.shtml.

Other informational books about spiders or written by Sy Montgomery for young adults.
Montgomery, Sy. THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF SUNDARBANS.  ISBN:  0618494901
Levi, Herbert W and Lorna R.  SPIDERS AND THEIR KIN. ISBN:  9781582381565
Facklam, Margery. SPIDERS  AND THEIR WEB SITES. ISBN:  9780316273299


Craighead Geroge, Jean. THE
TARANTULA IN MY PURSE AND 172 OTHER WILD PETS. ISBN:
9780618062713

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Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland

3/25/2013

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by Michelle Hand for TWU Course Literature for Children and Young Adults

Walker, Sally M. 2009. WRITTEN IN BONE: BURIED LIVES OF  JAMESTOWN AND COLONIAL MARYLAND. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrboda Books. ISBN  9781441885340. 
This is an informational (non-fiction) book about a team  of forensic scientists from the Smithsonian Institute eager to learn about the  way of life of people in colonial Maryland and Jamestown by studying the bones of those people and artifacts that have been buried for more than 300 years.
 
Critical Analysis
How do bones tell a story? They tell a story that reveals centuries' old secrets of a person's diet, health, occupation, age and cause of death. Sally M. Walker's WRITTEN IN BONES takes readers into the world of forensic scientists that know just how to coax deep and sometimes dark secrets out of long buried bones.  Young readers who are interested in biology, science and adventure will enjoy reading WRITTEN IN BONES.

Experts from many areas of science assist forensic anthropologist  Dr. Douglas Owsley in finding out just who is buried at Jamestown and colonial  Maryland. They all use scientific skills to draw conclusions from the bones that  lead them to believe they have unearthed a teenage boy, a ship's captain, an  indentured servant, a colonial official and his family and an African slave girl. Walker clearly states the findings of each grave are clues and that the
scientists are not certain of what they have uncovered. Many resources are given as corroboration in the back of the book.

WRITTEN IN BONES is organized well with each chapter representing a unique dig, so readers can just pick it up and start reading any chapter with help from the table of contents or index. The detailed photographs and illustrations of bones and teeth, which are not for the faint of heart, are really what make the text credible.

Walker's choice of design is very fitting with text in an old world font, chapters labeled on each page and visual aids that pique the interest of the reader. I believe with some adult help through many of the technical terms and scientific concepts, a young reader would enjoy learning how bones and teeth can tell so much about a person's lifestyle while still alive. The book concludes with a timeline that also teaches dates and events from American history.
 
Review Excerpt(s)
 "The reading level is relatively high  and the quantity of detailed information is not for everyone, but those  intrigued by forensics and history will find this absolutely fascinating. Grades 7-11." --Carolyn Phelan, Booklist.

"Written in Bone casts a magnifying glass on the hardships and realities of colonial life
so often romanticized in American lore."--Jeff Meyer, Slater Public Library,  IA

Connections
- Artifacts Uncovered: By analyzing artifacts from the 17th century, we can learn an
  enormous amount about how people lived and interacted during that time period.
 -Ask students to create a list of artifacts unearthed in Jamestown and St. Mary’s City and write 1-2 sentences about what these artifacts can tell us about life in the 17th‑century
Chesapeake.
-What are some of the things we can learn from studying skeletons from the past? Where else can we get this information?
-Why do you think it is important for anthropologists to be very  careful when they are doing excavations?
-What is DNA, and what can we learn from studying  it?

 Connections taken from:
 Libby H. O'Connell, PhD.,  "Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th Century Chesapeake Eduactor's  Manual" , accessed March 24, 2013,  http://www.mnh.si.edu/education/exhibitions/writteninbone.html.

Other informational books  about forensic science or written by Sally M. Walker for young
adults.
Walker, Sally M. MYSTERY FISH (ON MY OWN SCIENCE).  ISBN:  9781575058504
Cooper, Chris. FORENSIC SCIENCE (DK EYEWITNESS BOOKS). ISBN:  978-0756633837
Walker, Sally M. SHIPWRECK SEARCH:  DISCOVERY OF THE H.L. HUNLEY (ON MY OWN SCIENCE). ISBN:  978-0822564492

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Lafayette and the American Revolution

3/25/2013

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by Michelle Hand for TWU Course Literature for Children and Young  Adults

Freedman, Russell. 2010. LAFAYETTE AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
New York, NY: Holiday House Books. ISBN 9780823421824.
This is an  informational (non-fiction) book about the life of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de
Lafayette, his critical role in the American Revolution and the sacrifices he  made in the name of liberty and freedom for all mankind.
 
Critical Analysis
Lafayette rebelled against his family and country to  defend a newly born country across the Atlantic Ocean. Why? His motto was "Cur  non?" (Why not?) Layafette believed that all mankind should have liberty  especially those who were oppressed by a monarchial government.. He was not the ideal candidate for a great military leader but had the drive and zeal to overcome the greatest obstacles to fight for freedoms and liberties. Russell
Freedman captures Layafette's life and career as only he can. He provides  resources for every fact and has many years of research regarding American  historical figures to strengthen his knowledge.

Freedman orders the book in chronological order of Lafayette's life but the chapters are organized in such a way that any one chapter can be read alone. There is a table of contents and an index to pick and choose which aspect of Lafayette's life one would want to read. The design of the book is kid friendly with reproductions of engravings, paintings and letters that add interest by giving faces and places to names. If a child is interested in American history, then this book invites the reader in. 

I am skeptical, though, that the book is a little lengthy and  wordy to hold a child's attention without an adult guiding he/she through the  book and adding some storytelling to it. Overall, it is an excellent source to  teach children about American history and pivotal figures who helped form the  United States of America.

Review Excerpt(s)
2011 Sibert Informational Honor  Book
 "With a keen eye for biographical detail, award-winning author Freedman once again
offers up a book that will both inform and move his readers." - Children's  Literature - Greg M.
Romaneck

"This study of the marquis de Lafayette, emphasizing his service in the Revolutionary
War, is a gorgeously illustrated, beautifully laid out production in an  oversized format." - School Library Journal-Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY

 "An interesting and useful commentary on selected sources rounds out another superb
volume by a master of his craft. (timeline, source notes, index) (Biography. 10  & up)"  - Kirkus  Reviews

 Connections
 -When Lafayette  was eleven, his mother took him to Paris to begin his education as a gentleman. 
-Discuss what this type of education included. How was Lafayette different from the other boys at the Collège  du Plessis? Lafayette was considered quite spirited. How did his behavior and temperament make him unsuited for a life as a French gentleman? 2 CCSS  6.RI.2, 5-8.SL.1
-Write a eulogy that Lafayette might have written for George Washington. 6 CCSS .W.3, 5.RI.3
-Take a look at the following site on the American Revolution: www.theamericanrevolution.org/.  There are a number of biographies of people who made a contribution to the American Revolution. Think about why Lafayette isn’t included. Then write an entry for him. Include photos or artwork collected from the Internet. 7 CCSS 7.RL.9, 7.W.3
-There are many towns, cities, and counties in the United States named for Lafayette. Locate a list of these places and plot them on a map. Write a tribute to Lafayette that
each of these places may include in their history.
 Guide prepared by Pat  Scales, retired school librarian and independent consultant, Greenville, South  Carolina.

Other  informational books about Lafayette, The American Revolution or written by
Russell Freedman for young adults.
Freedman, Russell. THE WRIGHT BROTHERS: HOW THEY INVENTED THE AIRPLANE. ISBN:
9780823410828 
Freedman, Russell. INDIAN CHIEFS. ISBN:  9780823409716
Herbert, Janis.  THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION FOR KIDS: A  HISTORY WITH 21 ACTIVITIES (FOR KIDS SERIES). ISBN:  978-1556524561
Fritz, Jean. WHY NOT, LAFAYETTE?  (UNFORGETTABLE AMERICANS). ISBN: 9780698118829

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