Wings

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming.

May 21, 1937. Amelia Earhart began what was to be her most dangerous - and longest - flight. July 3, 1937. Amelia Earhart, navigator Fred Noonan and their airplane disappear forever. 

 

Chapters alternate between the days surrounding the aircraft’s disappearance and Earhart’s life from birth leading up to the fateful trip. This biography tells the tale of a woman who, since infancy, was described as “highly independent and precocious” (page 7). These traits would forever be a part of her personality, sometimes to her discredit.

Likes

Fleming has done her research and provides another engaging biography, full of primary resources showing a side of Earhart that is rarely discussed while still honoring Earhart’s accomplishments.

There is a wonderful bibliography and list of Internet resources included. 

This is a fantastic biography for tweens.  An added bonus?  It's 118 pages long, which means it is perfect for students who need a biography over 100 pages! (Raise your hand if you are a librarian annoyed by this request.)

Dislikes

On the section about Morse code, it is suggested that the reader find further information by visiting a particular website (page 17). With the often rapid changes of web sites, perhaps this should have been included in the list of Internet resources listed at the end of the book.

Trouble begins at 8

One thing I didn’t do on my vacation is post book reviews. Oops. Some were written…they just didn’t make it on to the blog. Here are the first two, both read for one of my book groups.

The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West by Sid Fleischman

Mark Twain, the beloved author of such classics as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, is well known in American literature. How did he become a writer? This biography details Twain’s life as a young boy in Missouri, his adventures (and misadventures) along the Mississippi River and American West, and his life as a distinguished author and speaker.

An excellent biography written for students in fourth through eighth grades, the book includes many photographs and pictures which help to illustrate the life of one of America’s greatest writers.



The extraordinary Mark Twain (according to Susy) by Barbara Kerley; iIllustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.

This picture book biography is a fascinating read. Included along with the text are excerpts of Susy’s – Mark Twain’s young daughter – observations of her father. This book is sure to inspire a child to write her own biography of a special person in her life.

two more reviews...

Two more reviews! I'm almost caught up. Yay!


Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth aren’t too happy about spending part of the summer with grandparents who have always seemed distant and somewhat unwelcoming. Expecting it to be a boring time, they are beyond surprised to the realities of their grandparents’ vast estate. Awaiting them are adventures beyond their wildest dreams, for their grandparents are caretakers of a secret sanctuary for mythological creatures of all shapes and sizes. This will be one summer they will never forget!

What a fantastic tale! The author creates a world within our own, filled with the sort of beings that dreams, fantasies…and nightmares…are made of, without managing to scare the pants off of younger readers. Kendra and Seth’s personalities and relationship are realistically drawn, as is the world surrounding them at Fablehaven. I’ve already started the second book in this series, and passed my copy of this book on to others!

The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden

Curious George is a beloved book character whose antics have delighted generations of children. He is also a character that was nearly lost during World War II.

This wonderful biography tells the story of how Curious George survived the war – as his creators narrowly escaped Nazi occupied France and traveled to America. Written in a way that younger elementary school students can understand, the text does not trivialize the danger that H. A. and Margret Rey experienced. The book is filled with photographs – many taken by Margret Rey, drawings – some are H. A. Rey’s work, and pictures other historical documents and memorabilia, such as the couple’s visas and letters to publishers. This book was different than I imagined, and so much more wonderful than I expected.