Rebecca Reads http://reviews.rebeccareid.com Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature Sun, 02 Apr 2017 22:50:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.7 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gifSome Rights ReservedRebeccaReadshttps://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesThoughts about reading fiction, nonfiction, and children's literature, new and old American Lion by Jon Meecham http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/gwxk7ij6ASk/ Wed, 09 Nov 2016 21:00:15 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13222 If there is any president of the United States that I have both disgust and intrigue for, it is Andrew Jackson, the southern president who completely changed the face of the presidency from upper class elite to “man of the people.” A president who approved and carried out the first of many Native American relocation […]

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If there is any president of the United States that I have both disgust and intrigue for, it is Andrew Jackson, the southern president who completely changed the face of the presidency from upper class elite to “man of the people.” A president who approved and carried out the first of many Native American relocation (an early government-approved genocide). What was his presidency actually like? Who was he, as a man? How did he rise to the presidency, and what are the modern-day implications of his policies?

In American Lion by Jon Meecham, Andrew Jackson’s presidency is described for the curious, and biography of the widower is shared for the modern understanding. Jackson was unique in his approach to the presidency, and his new approach did change politics in the USA for ever. Since I feel last night’s election is likewise ushering in a new type of president, it seems appropriate to finally write my thoughts about Meecham’s biography of Jackson, which I read half a year ago.

First, I’ll start with the ways that Andrew Jackson is different from the president-elect. Unlike Mr. Donald Trump, Andrew Jackson had experience in politics. He was first a lawyer, and then served as a Representative and Senator twice. He was from a poor family far from the Washington circle of founding fathers.

But the strength of Andrew Jackson, and his popularity, terrified and worried the leaders in Washington. The first six presidents of the United States were wealthy gentlemen. They were educated. These were people who studied Latin and read political theory for fun. This was a group of people that together wrote the constitution. John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, was the son of one of these founding fathers. This was a tight-nit group of gentlemen.

Further, during previous elections, those who were candidates would remain on their estate. They did not go out and visit with the people of the country. That would tacky! To campaign for one’s self! Self-centered. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Monroe: these were not men that entered into the frontier lands to visit with uneducated rabble. That would be unthinkable.

This changed in the man Andrew Jackson. He was, as I mentioned, a frontiers-boy from modest means. He married a woman who was (disputably), already married or recently divorced. He fought in a war, as a general, much as Washington did. But he returned to his more modest ways after fame followed him. Further, when he wanted to win, he campaigned. He went to many of the frontier western communities. He talked with everyone he could meet. He truly became a man of the people.

The Washington elite were shocked when he won in a clear landslide. Here was a man of questionable morals and sketchy past (Jackson had killed a man in a duel) that would now be the Executive of the land. Was this even appropriate?

The shift continued once Jackson (newly widowed) was inaugurated into office. Unlike his predecessors, Jackson did whatever he pleased, not taking in to account the careful guidance and suggestions of most of those elite around him. He was a man of the people, and he knew (supposedly) what his people wanted. He insisted that the Indians be driven from their lands. Although the Courts of the land were arguing against the legality of this, Jackson, being the president, took charge of his troops and got in motion what he wanted to happen. The Trail of Tears of the Cherokee people was the direct result.

The offences built up in Washington. He accepted morally questionable people into his social and entertaining circles. He dismissed thousands of government employees with whom he disagreed. He appointed those who he thought better represented the people.

It’s been half a year since I read Meecham’s biography. I cannot remember all the details of Jackson’s presidencies that made him such a strikingly different type of president. But I do remember that the presidency never was the same again. It was, in a way, the beginning of modern politics.

Donald Trump has just been elected. I find him coarse and offensive for many reasons. I pray to God that his presidency will not end in a cultural expulsion as horrific as the Trail of Tears. I pray that society as a whole will not blindly accept his coarseness as acceptable and follow his leadership without question. I hope the system of checks and balances will reign in his power.

And yet, if history teaches us anything, it is that while tradition may change radically in one presidency. It also suggests that, despite those changes, the Constitution and the United States of America survives those radical changes. I pray that is the case in the next few years.

 

 

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We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/divGlF2lJWc/ Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:00:12 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13202 As in his other photographic history books (Abraham Lincoln being the most well known to me), in We Will Not Be Silent, Russell Freedman tells a true story with the added addition of photographs to give the characters life. In this case, he shares about the brave students in Germany who stood up to Hitler, […]

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As in his other photographic history books (Abraham Lincoln being the most well known to me), in We Will Not Be Silent, Russell Freedman tells a true story with the added addition of photographs to give the characters life. In this case, he shares about the brave students in Germany who stood up to Hitler, Hans and Sophie Scholl. The Scholl children published anti-Nazi brochures and worked to spread the understanding of the danger of Hitler’s policies. Ultimately, they paid for their bravery with their lives.

This situation is quite serious for the youth who dared to resist Hitler did end up paying with their lives. Brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl were part of the Hitler Youth program as children. As they got older, they began to doubt the morality of some of the issues. When they went to the university, they decided to act out against Hitler. They distributed thousands of flyers in a movement called the White Rose. Eventually they were caught.

Because of the serious nature of the subject matter, I’d say this book is written for a older audience than Abraham Lincoln and some of Freedman’s other books. For those familiar with the atrocities of Hitler, seeing the photographs of the marching Nazi soldiers and reading the details about the leaders gives the chills. It is important for kids to understand the past. It is a hard thing to understand how we got to that point in the first place! “Those who don’t learn history are destined to repeat it,” I’ve heard before. Let’s not hesitate to speak out against atrocities before they get to the level of Hiter.

It’s likewise essential for us all to learn of those who dare to stand up to immorality. I think We Will Not Be Silent would be an amazing book to correlate to studies of World War II. Not only is the resistance movement an important aspect (although often overlooked) of World War II, but the story is inspiring. Children in our day and age need to learn about determination, integrity, and courage.

Those are qualities we all need. Hans and Sophie’s story can be inspiring to us all.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book for review consideration.

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Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/JWWgUUnz-Ps/ Wed, 10 Aug 2016 03:00:08 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13227 Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin captures the days before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 for four very different children: a girl whose mother travels to New York, a Muslim girl, a boy who lives in New York, and a boy who lives Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Two days before, all four […]

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Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin captures the days before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 for four very different children: a girl whose mother travels to New York, a Muslim girl, a boy who lives in New York, and a boy who lives Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Two days before, all four children’s paths cross as they wait for their airplane in Chicago, and their paths cross once more when they all attend the Ground Zero memorial in New York City the following year, September 11, 2002.

Nine, Ten is not what I thought it would be when I thought of a September 11 story. First, the majority of the action happened in the two days before the attacks. Also, the main characters do not face anyone they know that died. Although the author says that not losing loved ones may not have been plausible (especially since two of the characters were in the city that day), I thought it felt more plausible. Although thousands died, many more thousands of people did not die. All of us who did not have anyone directly killed still must deal with the aftermath.

As anyone who was alive in 2001 would say, I will never forget where I was on September 11. It changed my perspective and my future. I loved how the majority of this book dealt with the days before that Tuesday. It built up the intensity so that we, knowing what was going to happen, could anticipate how their lives changed. I enjoyed how the end of the book came full circle and the children’s paths cross again as they are dealing with the aftermath.

I wish I could see a glimpse of them again another year after that. How has their story continued? They were that memorable to me.

Note: I received a digital copy of the book for review consideration.

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The Left Behinds Series http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/5uzaqLk4G84/ http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/left-behinds-series/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2016 15:30:57 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13181 The Left Behinds series so far contains two different historical fiction novels with time travel adventures in which preteens must save the day. In The iPhone that Saved George Washington, three kids travel to 1776 to discover that George Washington has been shot. Can they reverse this alternate history before history is changed forever? In Abe […]

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The Left Behinds series so far contains two different historical fiction novels with time travel adventures in which preteens must save the day. In The iPhone that Saved George Washington, three kids travel to 1776 to discover that George Washington has been shot. Can they reverse this alternate history before history is changed forever? In Abe Lincoln and the Selfie that Saved the Union, the same kids must stop a change in the Battle of Gettysburg. Will they be quick enough?

The iPhone that Saved George Washington

In the first of The Left Behinds, we meet the three teenagers who are the “left behinds.” They are called “left behinds” because during the Christmas holiday, only those three remain at the boarding school for the holiday. Unbeknownst to them, when they fiddle with the computer in the back room, they add a new app to their iPhones. Before they know it, they are transported back in time, standing over George Washington’s dead body.

The intrigue in this was fantastic. I loved how Mel’s quick wits were required. He determined how to get to the right moment in time, convince the historical figures that he knew the future, and help figure out a way to get the three kids back to the modern day. Let me just say: Mel’s phone was almost out of power, and there are not many outlets in 1776. I cheered as the kids succeeded and laughed over the image of these modern kids stuck amongst those of 1776.

Abe Lincoln and the Selfie that Saved the Union

In the second Left Behinds book, the children end up in Washington D.C. shortly before the battle of Gettysburg. As the title suggests, they meet Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad, who is quite a character.

This book likewise had an urgency about it, so I wanted to keep reading. That said, I was disappointed that the iPhone and the selfie were not more integral to this story. Nevertheless, Mel once again is the hero as he hurries to Gettysburg to try to stop history from being changed. This would be a perfect book for Gettysburg buffs. Or, it may prompt an interest in the battle for those who were not previously interested.

The books are lots of fun. I love time travel books. I liked how The Left Behinds series changed history so dramatically. Reading one of these books may help the reader consider what would happen if history had been different. These would be perfect for kids who like quirky historical fiction or fantasy and for those who are studying American history.

Note: I received a digital copy of Abe Lincoln and the Selfie that Saved the Nation for review consideration.

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Saved by the Boats by Julie Gassman http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/VIJOyQIybC4/ Mon, 01 Aug 2016 13:00:18 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13204 Saved by the Boats by Julie Gassman is a picture book about September 11, 2001 and the ways the boats in New York Harbor came to the rescue of thousands of stranded New Yorkers. For me the most striking aspect of this book is the illustrations, as they so nicely capture the sense of togetherness […]

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Saved by the Boats by Julie Gassman is a picture book about September 11, 2001 and the ways the boats in New York Harbor came to the rescue of thousands of stranded New Yorkers. For me the most striking aspect of this book is the illustrations, as they so nicely capture the sense of togetherness that occurred during the tragedy.

In her art, Ms Gassman portrays a blue sky, and the rest of the  city and the people are black and white line drawings with a simple feel. The city silhouette, the groups of people travelling from one side of town to the other: these are the simple illustrations in the book. As the story is told, there is a dark cloud of billowing smoke, and the faces of the people are now given a slightly different color: a light gray, to represent the ash that covered them.

Any book about 9/11 is going to feel haunting in a way, and the illustrations in Saved by the Boats do feel haunting. It was a tragedy of massive proportion. Of course I remember the day and the emotion we felt as we watched those tours fall.

Yet there were so many details in the illustrations that gave Saved by the Boats a hopeful feel. There were details in the lines on the people: children, men, women, even babies. We cannot ignore that these were real people suffering. The contrast between those helping and those escaping was poignant. Those escaping were covered in the gray ash and they were mingled in the boats with Coast Guard workers who were comforting and carrying. Despite the tragedy of the day, it was a day of helping and love.

Note: I received a digital copy for review consideration.

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The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères by Marie Letourneau http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/JIj88iRe6co/ http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/mice-bistrot-des-sept-freres/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2016 13:00:56 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13210 The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères by Marie Letourneau is a fun picture book about a restaurant in Paris run by seven brothers. However, it is the one sister who ends up saving the day! The Bistrot is a special place for mice and all the illustrations in it feature anthropomorphic mice. “Anyone who […]

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The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères by Marie Letourneau is a fun picture book about a restaurant in Paris run by seven brothers. However, it is the one sister who ends up saving the day! The Bistrot is a special place for mice and all the illustrations in it feature anthropomorphic mice.

“Anyone who is anyone eats there.” We are told right from the start.

Before the story begins, we get a simple glossary of some of the French words that appear. Then we meet the seven brothers and the sister. When the special French Culinary Judge Alfred Le Whisk arrives to test their soup, however, there is a problem. The brothers fall over themselves and make a mess, and the secret ingredient is missing from the pantry! Chef Marcel is in trouble. But without missing a beat, Petite Michelle, the sister, comes to the rescue and saves the day. 

The illustrations are adorable, and the ridiculous brothers are hilarious. I loved how the sister (who is the youngest and is apparently often overlooked) is the one to rescue the soup. Now, of course, it is better than ever! The recipe for the soup can be found at the publisher’s site, and additional activities (and French flashcards) are available as well. The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères would be a nice addition to a French or Paris unit study!

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.

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Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/3U9YCFcGQ8g/ Thu, 28 Jul 2016 11:00:13 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13235 Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu is a novel in poetry about the effect of September 11, 2001 about a Japanese-American girl living in Japan. As Ema prepares in her grandparent’s home for the arrival of a new sibling, she struggles with bullying in her school, as the other students tease her and she adjusts to a very Japanese […]

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Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu is a novel in poetry about the effect of September 11, 2001 about a Japanese-American girl living in Japan. As Ema prepares in her grandparent’s home for the arrival of a new sibling, she struggles with bullying in her school, as the other students tease her and she adjusts to a very Japanese school in a new neighborhood.

Then, in shock, she hears of the unfolding of the terrorist attacks in the USA. Now she is even more torn between her identity as a biracial and bi-national girl in her school, and she struggles with the relationship with her grandparents as well. Is there any hope for the world if the USA goes down? How can she go to school as if nothing has happened? And how can she handle the bully she must face when she does return to class?

The book is written in sparse poetry in a modern style of writing. It is beautiful as is describes both the painful moments and the hopeful ones. See, for example, the simple introduction to what happens on the evening of September 11 for those in Japan.

TVs blare

a news flash

the whole neighborhood gasps.

I loved how the book provided so much context of what life was like for Ema in the months before the life-changing events. These events gave structure to Ema’s resolution: how the terror of 9/11 both helped her deal with her life and added additional complexity. Life is not black and white.

Although Somewhere Among deals with difficult subjects such as September 11 and bullying, the book as a whole has a sweet feeling of hope. In the end, Ema comes to terms with both her role in the world as a Japanese-American girl and with the bully whom she has had difficulties. There is hope for the future, and the book captures that hope beautifully, even in the midst of terror.

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.

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Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies by Carmen Oliver http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/3ZSXBAvu8GQ/ Wed, 27 Jul 2016 13:00:26 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13208 Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies by Carmen Oliver is a book about a girl and her unusual friend that helps her to enjoy her reading time. The pictures depict this reading buddy as a bear, and Adelaide describes how her bear is such a good buddy. Yet the book as a whole seems to be […]

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Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies by Carmen Oliver is a book about a girl and her unusual friend that helps her to enjoy her reading time. The pictures depict this reading buddy as a bear, and Adelaide describes how her bear is such a good buddy. Yet the book as a whole seems to be about much more. It’s about how to find a comfortable way to sit and read. It’s about how to get the most out of reading time. And although it seems to be a story about a girl and a bear, it is really a great introduction for kids in how a “buddy” can help you enjoy reading practice. 

Here are some of the things that Adelaide’s bear teaches us about reading time. First, he helps her find a good book to read (“sniffs” it out with his nose). Then he helps her find a quiet and comfortable place to read together. In the illustration, we see they are hiding in a delightful blanket fort. They make sure both can see the book, and the bear wraps her in a “warm bear hug” if she gets frustrated sounding out words. Her bear cheers her on with a big ROAR (and won’t let her run away from hard words).

Kids won’t realize that it’s a lesson in how to be a good reading buddy, however. The illustrations provide plenty of humor. The bear’s claws rip the page, but he fixes it with honey. The bear is too big for the room, and of course the teacher and other students are afraid of him. The bear is cuddly and helpful, and that is the friendly side of the book kids will see at first glance.

It’s just a bonus that Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies also teaches students how they too can be a good reading buddy!

Note: I received a digital copy of Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies for review consideration.

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Good Morning Yoga by Miriam Gates http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/2pW37XkLAfA/ http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/good-morning-yoga/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2016 13:00:14 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13122 Good Morning Yoga by Miriam Gates is a basic picture book to introduce young readers to yoga. Each page has a simple rhyme about a yoga pose mixed into an imaginary situation, thus making the stretch friendly to the young reader. Further, bright illustrations show children doing the yoga pose. A text box explains how to do the […]

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Good Morning Yoga by Miriam Gates is a basic picture book to introduce young readers to yoga. Each page has a simple rhyme about a yoga pose mixed into an imaginary situation, thus making the stretch friendly to the young reader. Further, bright illustrations show children doing the yoga pose. A text box explains how to do the given stretch.

I am not very familiar with yoga at all, so I don’t know what the proper terms for each of the poses are. But that didn’t matter. With Good Morning Yoga, I knew how to do the yoga stretches. With the calming rhymes on each page and the fun illustrations, my kids were eager to join in. My daughter’s favorite page is that in which she is an explorer: one hand makes a “spyglass” at her eye while the opposite leg stretches out behind her!

Although it has been a few weeks since we read it, my daughter still likes to remember her favorite pages. This is a nice gentle way to wake up in the morning, and I am delighted to see that there is also a Good Night Yoga book by the same author/illustrator team!

Note: I received a digital copy of this book for review consideration. I also referred to a physical copy at the library because I like it so much!

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The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RebeccaReads/~3/l_WSMpEPPME/ http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/the-summer-before-the-war-by-helen-simonson/#comments Mon, 06 Jun 2016 13:00:56 +0000 http://reviews.rebeccareid.com/?p=13196 Beatrice Nash is an educated, talented, and pleasant woman. But life in 1914 England does not give much credence to those qualities when she has been left orphaned and impoverished at the old maid age of 22 without any marriage prospects. To make matters worse, she must rely on her unfriendly relatives for assistance in finding […]

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Beatrice Nash is an educated, talented, and pleasant woman. But life in 1914 England does not give much credence to those qualities when she has been left orphaned and impoverished at the old maid age of 22 without any marriage prospects. To make matters worse, she must rely on her unfriendly relatives for assistance in finding a job. Her position as Latin teacher to the small school in Kent is tenuous, and she can only hope that somehow she can find the means to get ahead of her fate.

Meanwhile, Hugh Grange visits his aunt in Kent this summer, along with his cousin Daniel, and the two friends find themselves in a new situation as the country turns in the tides of war.

Yes, The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson does have a romance in it, and the tea parlor conversations in it make it a delightful woman’s novel. But in the tradition of Downton Abbey, we also face the dichotomy of the classes during an intriguing changing era when the world is soon to be turned upside down by war. Add in a very timely discussion of refugees from Belgium, and I found The Summer Before the War to be a delightful British novel for capturing my Downton Abbey-starved mind.

The Summer Before the War deals with difficult subjects, as it was a difficult era for an unmarried woman. It deals with the poverty of the unmarried Beatrice Nash, a woman who was raised as a lady and yet, now that she is orphaned and unmarried, now must live in reduced circumstances. It deals with the a very smart child of a blacksmith: a boy who would certainly have the ability to succeed in college, and yet is refused an earned scholarship award due to his family’s occupation. It deals with a woman’s pregnancy outside of marriage and rape, a subject that is incredibly taboo in the small town culture. These issues are developed from the ground up in a tasteful manner, and the

The Summer Before the War is most certainly a character novel. From the beginning, we are privy to the main characters’ thoughts and opinions of those around them, particularly Beatrice’s and Hugh’s. As the novel progresses, the difficulties of the other characters likewise are explored and even by the end we think we understand. The last few pages have a character revelation that surprised even me, although I believe I suspected something of the sort somehow. The last sentences beautifully capture the entire spirit of the novel: acceptance and service. In the time of a mind-numbing world war, as well as our time of refugees and differences of religion, this should be a message of comfort as we share in overcoming adversity.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.

 

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