5. Sea Horse the Shyest Fish in the Sea by Chris Butterworth

Nonfiction book annotation
By: Angela Wilcox

27 pages



Butterworth, C. (2006). Sea horse the shyest fish in the sea. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Author Creditability: Chris Butterworth performed research about sea horses and talked with marine zoologists to learn more. She encourages us all to learn as much as we can about the sea horses so we can help protect them and keep them from going extinct. She has also written more than 70 other children’s nonfiction books on various subjects.

Summary: This informational picture storybook informs the reader about sea horses. This book focuses particularly on the life cycle, characteristics, and habits of the Barbour sea horse. Most Important Access Features: This book contains captions that are done in a smaller font size than the story and give factual information about sea horses. They are located throughout different places on the page, some are at the bottom, some are in the shape of a wave going across the page, and some are just simply over to the side. In the back of the book there is an index, a general paragraph about sea horses and how they need to be protected, an author and illustrator note.

Description of Illustrations: John Lawrence did a wonderful job with the illustrations in this book. He used vinyl engravings, watercolor washes, and printed wood textures to create these illustrations that turned out marvelous for this book. He stated that he tried to imagine what it would be like to live under the water and this helped him to draw his illustrations.

Grade Level & Uses: K-3rd grade It would go great with an ocean or sea life unit.

Standards: K science: 1. Develop an understanding that living and non-living things have identifiable characteristics. 9. Discover how environmental concerns relate to land, water, and air.
1st grade science: 1. Explore the basic patterns of living systems. 2. Investigate the diversity of living things.
2nd grade science: 1. Explore the functions and systems of living things. 2. Research the diversity and interaction of living things.
3rd grade science: 1. Investigate the interactions of objects and organisms.



Related Texts & How Related: This books could also be used for a sea horse unit.
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
The Life Cycle of a Sea Horse by Bobbie Kalman

Quality/Awards:
John Burroughs List of Nature Books

Personal Response to Book: This book is beautifully illustrated. I love how the author used the text to flow along with several of the illustrations. This book was a very easy read and I plan on using it this upcoming school year with my ocean unit. I know the children will love it!

4. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherin Thimmesh

Nonfiction book annotation
By: Angela Wilcox

80 pages

Thimmesh, C. (2006). Team moon: how 400,000 people landed Apollo 11 on the moon. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Author Creditability: Catherine Thimmesh is very passionate about space. She conducted a lot of research for this book including sorting through tons of documents and paperwork on Apollo missions and conducting interviews with those involved with the Apollo 11 mission. It is her dream to some day go to space herself.

Summary: This specialized book takes the reader on a journey of Apollo 11. It is not the journey you would normally think of when you hear about Apollo 11. Instead this book is like a behind the scenes documentary of everyone who helped get the astronauts to the moon. This includes the 400,000 individuals that helped with the process, such as: seamstresses who sewed the space suits, engineers, flight directors, suit testers, photo developers, aerospace technicians, and many more. This book really helps one to understand how many people it really takes to work for NASA and help with our space missions.

Most Important Access Features: This book is full of access features. There are sidebars located in this book; they are just at the bottom of the page. They give a detailed description about the photograph along with inserted information and background knowledge about the photograph as well. In the beginning of the book there is a map that shows the flight path Apollo 11 took to get to the moon and home. In the back of the book there is a note from the author and a list of all her sources including who she had interview with, books, websites, and documents. There is also a list of sources where the reader can do further investigations on their own about certain topics and explorations. It then continues to an index and a glossary of important terms.

Description of Illustrations: Photographs were used in this book from NASA and various other resources. They really make this book come to life and make the reader feel like you are right there in outer space or looking at the various objects and modules in real life.

Grade Level & Uses: This book would be good for the middle school ages. It is a great book to use for research on space missions and NASA.

Standards: 6th grade science: 6. Model the structure of the Earth system past and present.
Investigate the Earth in relation to the solar system.
7th grade science: 7. Explain the causes of lunar phases, eclipses, and Earth’s seasons.
8th grade science: 7. Describe the appearance and nature of our galaxy and the universe.



Related Texts & How Related: The following books can be used with this one to teach about Apollo missions and about how we got to the moon.
A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin
Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon by David Reynolds

Quality/Awards:
The Robert F. Sibert Medal

Personal Response to Book: Wow! What an eye-opener. I would have never known how many people it really took to get us to the moon. I love the approach that Thimmesh used at getting the perspectives of the people behind the scenes. They are just as important as the people who went to the moon because they could not have gotten there without them.

3. Immigrant Kids by Russell Freedman

Nonfiction Book Annotation
By: Angela Wilcox

72 pages

Freedman, R. (1992). Immigrant kids. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Author Creditability: Mr. Freedman got the idea for this book from the photographic exhibition, “Street Kids: 1864-1977” held in 1978 at the New York Historical Society. This event observed the 125th anniversary of the Children’s Aid Society in New York City. He also lists several people and museums that helped him obtain the photographs for this book.

Summary: This book takes place during the late 1800s and the beginning 1900s when European immigrants came to America. This book tells of the horrible conditions they encountered coming to America. It tells about the process' they had to go through once they reached Ellis Island and what they were faced with, if they were lucky enough to make it through the inspections. The book then goes on to describe the terrible living conditions they were faced with, what little schooling the children received, how young children had to find jobs to help out with family expenses, and what they liked to play when they had time to do so. The book then goes on to describe the terrible living conditions they were faced with, what little schooling the children received, how young children had to find jobs to help out with family expenses, and what they liked to play when they had time to do so.Most Important Access Features: This book is a photographic essay that uses photographs to validate what the author is informing you of. It contains a very easy to read and follow table of contents, preface, and acknowledgements. The preface provides background information for the reader on immigration along with who took the pictures and how they were taken. The acknowledgement informs the reader of where the author got the idea to write this book and how he got the photographs.

Description of Illustrations: Photographs were used in this book from various photographers of this time frame. Mr. Freedman obtained the photographs from the following: American Museum of Immigration; Children’s Aid Society; International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House; Library of Congress; Louis N. Freedman; Museum of the City of New York; and Staten Island Historical Society.

Grade Level & Uses: This book would be good in the upper elementary grades through middle school. I would use it to help teach immigration and what all people endured to get a chance to live in America.

Standards: Fifth Grade Social Studies 1. Examine the historical development of the United States of America.



Related Texts & How Related: These books could be used along with this one to teach immigration.
If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island by Ellen Levine
Coming To America: The Story Of Immigration by Betsy Maestro
I Was Dreaming to Come to America: Memories from the Ellis Island Oral History Project by Veronica Lawlor

Quality/Awards:

Personal Response to Book: I found this book very compelling and I opening. I was captured by the photographs and the message this book portrays. I never knew how bad immigrants had it and how hard it was on them to try to come and live in America. This was a huge eye opener for me and made me very thankful for how easy we have it now.

2. When Marion Sang by Pam Ryan

Nonfiction book annotation
By: Angela Wilcox


This is a picture book with no page numbers.

Ryan, P. M. (2002). When Marian sang. New York: Scholastic Press.

Author Creditability: Ryan and her illustrator did amazing research to obtain information from Ms. Marion’s real life. All of her information is genuine and has a bibliographic tracking. She is well known for her books that she writes for young people and has won several awards for them. Some of these awards include Pura Belpre Medal, Jane Addams Peace Award, ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, Americas Award Honor Book, Willa Cather Award, and California Young Reader Medal.

Summary: This is a chronological biography of the life of Marion Anderson. It tells of Marion’s love of singing and takes you on a journey of all of her ups and downs that she faced as an African American singer. Marion was faced with a lot prejudice being an African American and was rejected by the people of the U.S. She then moved to Europe to further her career and to learn more about the songs she loved to sing. It was here that she became a famous and well known singer because the people of Europe allowed her to sing without any restrictions, where the people of the U.S. continued to discriminate against her even after her success in the singing career. Eleanor Roosevelt herd about her rejection and took a public stand against Marion’s protestors. Marion then got an invitation to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial one Easter Sunday. She sang before a crowd of 75,000 people which begged for more. Over the next 16 years she obtained several awards, medals, and degrees for the accomplishments made in her music career. And finally, her lifetime dream came true when she got to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. Most Important Access Features: The end pages in this book has notes from the author and illustrator in which they provide the reader with background information on their research to write and illustrate the book, why Ryan wanted to write about Marion Anderson, and it highlights several of the places in the book. It also has a chronological time line of important dates in Marian Anderson’s Life.

Description of Illustrations: Selznick submitted the artwork in liquitex acrylics. The artwork in this book has a lot of details and really captures the expressions of the characters in the book. He did a great job of helping the reader be able to hear Marian sing through his artwork.

Grade Level & Uses: This book could be used in any grade level. I would use it to teach about civil rights, activists, equality, and discrimination. It could also be used to teach about different forms of music and singers.

Standards: 1st-4th grade social studies: 5. Integrate, connect, and apply social studies into other subject areas and everyday life.

Related Texts & How Related: This books could be used to teach about African American Artists and what they had to overcome and endure being African American.
The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Pinkney

Quality/Awards:
William Allen White Children’s Book Award
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor Award
2003 Orbis Pictus Winner
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
ALA Notable Book
2003 NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts

Worthy of Special Note from Jefferson Cup Award

Personal Response to Book: This book was very moving. It makes you wonder how people can be so full of hate and racist. I had so much compassion for Marion as I read this book. I wanted to change people and the way they rejected her. I wanted to applaud Eleanor Roosevelt for her stand that she took.

1. Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack

Nonfiction Book Annotation
By: Angela Wilcox

68 pages

McKissack, P. & McKissack F. (1994). Christmas in the big house, Christmas in the quarters. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Author Creditability: The McKissacks visited several plantations where they researched and obtained information on different families and how they spent their Christmas’. They also got suggestions and support from the plantation owners and family members of today to help write this book.

Summary: This book is an informational picture storybook that uses the compare-contrast structure to depict the lifestyles of the plantation owners and the slaves during the Christmas of 1859. The McKissacks tell of how the slaves have to get the big house and the quarters ready for the big event. They do a wonderful job of showing how different a holiday was celebrated, at that time and region, among different races. They also include different poems, songs, and culture events that took place during Christmas time. This helps the reader to truly understand the events and emotions that revolved around Christmas time to both the slaves and the plantation owners in this region.

Most Important Access Features: This book contains a table of contents, notes-which seems to be similar to a glossary, author’s and illustrator’s notes, illustrations, and a bibliography. The Authors’ notes help to provide background information for the reader, telling where they are and what is taking place during this time era. The Illustrator’s notes let you know who and what plantations helped him in creating the illustrations for this book. The notes give more detailed information on vocabulary, events, people, customs of that time, etc. that are mentioned in the story. Lastly, there is a bibliography of texts that helped in the research and writing of this book.


Description of Illustrations: The illustrator, John Thompson, did a wonderful job at portraying Christmas for the slaves and the plantation owners’ families. In his Illustrator’s note, he tells about how he did research at the James River Plantations during the holiday season to get ideas for the illustrations in this book. The illustrations for this book are paintings done in acrylic and on a Strathmore five-ply kid-finish Bristol board. The first letter of each chapter contains an illuminated style of Tuscan Italian done in red. This was a type of ornamental typeface that was created in 1859.

Grade Level & Uses: Grades 4-8; I would use this book to teach about the customs and times of the 19th century, slaves, and plantations. The students could do a compare/contrast essay of how we celebrate Christmas to how people celebrated Christmas in the 19th century or even how the slaves celebrated compared to the plantaion owners.

Standards: 4th-8th grade language arts: 2. The student will apply strategies and skills to comprehend, respond to, interpret, or evaluate a variety of texts of increasing levels of length, difficulty, and complexity.
3. The student will express, communicate, evaluate, or exchange ideas effectively.
4. The student will apply standard English to communicate.

5th grade social studies: 1. Examine the historical development of the United States of America.
8th grade social studies: 3. Evaluate the impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction on the United States.

Related Texts & How Related: These books could be used along with Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters to educate students on slavery and plantation life.

Daily Life in a Southern Plantation 1853 by Paul Erickson
Life on a Plantation by Bobbie Kalman
The Strength of These Arms: Life in the Slave Quarters by Raymond Bial


Quality/Awards:
The Coretta Scott King Award
The Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

Personal Response to Book: I found this book very eye opening and at times emotional. If one has not really studied slavery and understood what they had to go through among their families, this book could really help you understand. The way the McKissacks described both cultures in this book allows you to get a full understanding of what Christmas’ were like. I found it to be an educational, enjoyable, and a fast and easy read.

Immigrant Kids by Russell Freedman

This book takes place during the late 1800s and the beginning 1900s when European immigrants came to America. This book tells of the horrible conditions they incountered coming to America. It tells about the process' they had to go through once they riched Ellis Island and what they were faced with, if they were lucky enough to make it through the inspections.

The book then goes on to describe the terrible living conditions they were faced with, what little schooling the children received, how young children had to find jobs to help out with family expenses, and what they liked to play when they had time to do so. This book will open anyone's eyes to what children had to go through just so their family could live in America.

I believe this book would be a great read for students talking about immigration and learning about our country during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This book is an easy read and will make you think about how lucky we are and how easy we have it today. The photographs are breath taking and really made me thankful for my childhood and how well I had it.

Great job Mr. Freedman at educating us about this time period and collecting the photographs to make your message come to life!