More Wonderful CYBILS AWARDS Nonfiction Titles- Biographies and Profiles

One of the greatest challenges of serving as a Round One panelist for Cybils Awards is that there are SO MANY terrific titles with SO FEW slots available to list as finalists. Balancing that struggle is the blessing of being able to read quite a few wonderful titles that I somehow missed in the course of the publishing year. As public bloggers/reviewers, we panelists have the lovely bonus of using our platforms to feature and celebrate favorite titles whether they made the finalist cut or not, and without a deadline! This post is the first of several that will offer you short features about some I especially enjoyed, and believe you will, too. This post focuses on picture books that are biographies or profiles of women, ones you may or may not already THINK you know.

Little Bigfoot, 2022

First up is  LIBRARY GIRL:How Nancy Pearl Became America's Most Celebrated Librarian, written by Karen Henry Clark and illustrated by Sheryl Murray. Here's what I had to say about it on my Goodreads account.

"Adults who read (sadly, some don't) will certainly recognize the name of Nancy Pearl, perhaps the best known librarian in America. This is a genuinely touching account of how her early years were somewhat unhappy, how she came to feel at home and supported within her library. It is effective and interesting to be able to imagine her as a tentative and "out of place" child who grew to not only find a career, but find herself and her confidence within that career!"

Clarion Books, 2022

A PERFECT FIT: How Lena Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion is next, written by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by the amazing Juana Martinez- Neal. My notes about this fantastic offering (which DID make the finalist list in the elementary category) is here:

"Crisp and  entertaining text combine with illustrator Martinez-Neal's trademark fluidity and grace to develop a portrait of a determined, creative, talented woman who never forgot her father's message- to make the world a better place for others. Her tools were her scissors, sewing machine, fabrics and ribbons, all used in service of making women of any size or shape feel wonderful in their clothing. 

Who knew that the iconic "Lane Bryant" clothing line had such an inspiring background? I certainly didn't, and I am grateful to have learned it in such an appealing format. I look forward to sharing this with readers of many ages, including older ones who envision a career in design. 

Lena's father's advice will serve them well in their careers."

Beachlane Books, 2022

And here's another title that provides an introduction to a young woman whose decisions and life choices merit our attention, It is also a story with "hooks" related to sports, fashion, gender restrictions, overcoming disabling health challenges, and more. Here are my Goodreads comments on ANNETTE FEELS FREE: The True Story of Annette Kellerman, World-Class Swimmer, Fashion Pioneer, and Real-Life Mermaid, written/illustrated by Katie Mazieka. 

"This seemingly simple picture book bio of a record-breaking female swimmer from Australia is far more than that. Australia's Annette Kellerman lived her youngest years as a lively, exuberant girl whose love of ballet and performance led to dreams of a stage life. When an unknown paralyzing infection left her with weakened legs and wearing braces that imprisoned her dreams, her spirit faded. Her father's brilliant idea to help her learn to swim restored Annette's freedom, leading eventually to a fully restored body and dreams she could never have imagined, with a watery stage on which to express herself and gain the acclaim she welcomed. 

I tagged this as a story in a story because her life was notable, too, (as the subtitle indicates) for breaking gender barriers beyond the athletic world. The fact that multiple heavy layers of clothing were demanded for women swimmers, (even in competition against MEN!), chafed at Annette's sense of justice and equity. She designed and created a modest, swimmable garment, but one that shocked society of that time. It took a ruling by the courts to allow her to wear it in competitions and later in general when swimming, but requirements were placed that she must be covered/robed on land, not dropping her coverings until stepping into the water. Her fashion pioneering led to other girls and women adopting the style and all eventually ignoring the demands for 'land" coverings.

Readers will find  joy, persistence, imagination, unbounded goal-setting, emotional arcs, and family strengths in this beautifully illustrated new picture book.

I highly recommend all three titles, and assure readers of any age that they will learn fascinating information about women with whom they may or may not have been acquainted before cracking the covers of these terrific picture books. Dive in, folks, and share them with others.

Recent Reads: Quite a Variety

I've allowed this blog to take a semi-hiatus/summer vacation in order to focus on my recent release projects. If that's news to you, you can check it out here. That doesn't mean I'm not still reading picture books (and reviews, releases, classics, blogs, and more). I keep a record, rating, and reviews of recent reads on my GOODREADS site.

In case you've missed those, it's time to report them here, since they each have good things to offer, ranging from home to school, from youngest to established readers. Each can play a significant role in back-to-school discussions of rules, kindness, determination, holding grudges

MY TEACHER IS A MONSTER! (NO, I AM NOT.) is written and illustrated by Peter Brown. It's had some wonderful reviews, and I can see why. But when it comes to a story about how teachers are perceived depending on the daily changes of students, I'll take LILY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE, by Kevin Henkes over this one, but it does have a quirky sort of appeal. Even when the student and teacher reach greater understanding of each other, there's something about it (the color tones? the relative sizes of the kids/teacher?) that leaves me slightly uncomfortable and flattens the humor just a bit. On the other hand, THE GIRL AND THE BICYCLE, written and illustrated by Mark Pett, is  a winner, in my opinion.  This wordless, monochromatic, wide-format picture book uses simple images to create a multi-layered and highly appealing story. It incorporates one very creative, determined, and wise young girl, her loyal (and funny) little brother, and a neighbor with a gentle heart. This is the kind of picture book that deserves multiple re"read"s and can serve as mentor-text for story structure, sequence, cause/effect, and language development for a number of age levels. Next up is THE GRUDGE KEEPER, written by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler. It's a back-to-school Wheeler's fine-lined, gentle-toned double page spreads lend richness and emotional depth to the delightfully complex, synonym-laden text that could otherwise get a bit tiresome. The language, images, and somewhat obvious lesson make this a great choice for intentional sharing. It can serve as vocabulary development, mentor text for humor and hyperbole, and community building/problem-solving. As an example of quality non-fiction that is fluent, intriguing, accessible, and fun, you can't beat GIRLS THIINK OF EVERYTHING: STORIES OF INGENIOUS INVENTIONS BY WOMEN, written by Catherine Thimmesh and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Sweet's appealing cameo and full page illustrations interspersed throughout this informative and highly accessible text make this a must-have for "close" reading- or just for fun! These profiles of inventive, innovative women include some familiar names and many more less well known. This belongs in every library and classroom from third grade up.

Ways to Celebrate Independence Day-- with Books!

Until last fall I was very satisfied with my name. My mother was determined to give us names that would not be "nicknamed". She accomplished that with my older sibs, at least until they moved into the tweens/teens when pals determined what they would be called. 
With my name, though, there was no fighting the fact that Sandra became "Sandy" before I could have anything to say about it (or about anything, for that matter, since I wasn't yet speaking!) Other than a brief burst of protest in my teens during which I insisted my name should be spelled "Sandi", I've felt more than satisfied with my name. 

Paul J. RIchards/AFP/Getty images
Via www.NPR.org

"Sandy", to me, conveys a generally appealing beachy impression, with enough implied grit and irritant that my personality doesn't come as too big a surprise once people get past the name. 
And then Super Storm Sandy co-opted my name. Compared to the havoc it wreaked on the east coast, I certainly shouldn't gripe about a simple name corruption. Even though I'm a midwesterner, my deep sympathy goes out to the millions who were affected, and my gratitude goes out to those who helped them in ways large and small.  This Fourth of July, just in time for fireworks, the Statue of Liberty reopens for the first time since SSSandy blew into the Big Apple.

Traditional Fourth of July celebrations range from local to legendary, from neighborly to national. For more than a decade I lived in a small town where the parade drew everyone (really, EVERYONE!) to participate, spectate, or both. It was composed of tractors, combines, a few flatbed floats, decorated bikes, squads of marching Little Leaguers and VFW members, and about two dozen fire trucks, ambulances, and squad cars. The parade was timed so that all the equipment from a dozen surrounding townships could be used in each community in sequence, starting as early as 8:00 AM and ending late afternoon just in time to settle in for music, food and  fireworks at each home town park. 

Now I live in a suburban community with at least ten times the budget and a century-old tradition of much the same kind: parade, talent show, music, food, and fireworks. The surrounding suburbs mirror that effort and spirit. Our suburbs encircle a major metro area perched on Lake Michigan, which offers a massive, bank-funded celebration on July Third. That allows everyone to enjoy the extravaganza and their own community confabs on the fourth.

So what does this have to do with picture books? Easy-peasy, can't you guess? 

Exactly! Picture books can be just as varied, just as reflective of different communities, and just as perfectly suited to a single theme, despite their differences. So let's look at a few.

Clarion Books,
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2013

It's a safe bet that "Yankee Doodle" will be played and sung in all the above celebrations, but Tom Angleberger's recent release, CRANKEE DOODLE, is getting almost as much attention. Illustrated by the author's wife, CeCe Bell, this is a comical, cartoonish deconstruction of the song by an upbeat pony and the bored, argumentative Yankee. The premise is a hoot, including the last pageturn punchline. The pony's back page monologue clarifies the origin and interpretations of the lyrics. Kirkus gave it a starred review, and Books for Kids Blog raved about it as well. 


My advice? Squeeze in a trip to the library or bookstore and take this pony for a ride.

Henry Holt and Company, 2005

The New York City celebrations and harbor fireworks are viewed by millions, locally and on television. It is always a thrill to see the Statue of Liberty sllhouetted during the concert and under the celebratory night lights. It's perhaps the most universal icon of America and freedom, with its reopening for the holiday restoring a sense of normalcy to the beleaguered coastline. 
LIBERTY RISING: The Story of the Statue of Liberty is written  by Pegi Deitz Shea and illustrated by Wade Zahares. There are any number of titles portraying the story of the statue's creation, gifting, and transport from France intended for audiences of all ages. This version hits the picture book sweet spot, combining enough text to tell the story effectively with easily interpreted illustrations. The intense color, dramatic scale, and abstraction ramp up the tension, even though we know the story well. The double fold-out spread of the mounted statue and the timeline backmatter enhance this non-fiction selection further.

National Geographic Children's book,
2013

MASTER GEORGE'S PEOPLE: George Washington, His Slaves, and His Revolutionary Transformation is written by Marfe Ferguson Delano with Mount Vernon with photography by Lori Epstein. The opening endpapers display the Declaration of Independence, whose public announcement we celebrate each Fourth of July. The final end papers display Washington's handwritten last will and testament, which reveals his transformed frame of mind about the Declaration's inspiring but misleading words, "that all men are created equal". 
Washington and most of the other signers were slaveowners, believing that the words only applied to white males. This major non-fiction work offers appealing photos for younger viewers but demands more from those seriously curious about Washington's change of heart.
Check it out at the Mount Vernon site.

Candlewick, 2012

Finally, consider this story about another New York City icon, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. As the backmatter says, it has two nicknames, "Big John" and "Saint John the Unfinished". The cornerstone was set  back in 1892 and it is still under construction. ME and MOMMA and BIG JOHN, by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by William Low, tells this remarkable story through a fictional family based on real New Yorkers. How does this fit with the Fourth of July? Think about that line in the document Washington signed: the right to the pursuit of happiness. 
Work on this massive cathedral was halted to divert funds to the ever-present needs of the neighborhood community, to those who lacked the means for survival, let alone pursuing happiness. Eventually the need for trained workers and the need for jobs coalesced to produce an apprenticeship program for craftsman to complete the construction. This book wins the trifecta of story, story-telling, and visual power.

The bottom line is a simple search-engine prompt will lead you to an unlimited list of titles about Fourth of July celebrations. Amid the flood of suggestions, take the time to find, read, and share those with the staying power to appeal all year long, and for years to come.