A HISTORY OF TOILET PAPER (AND OTHER POTTY TOOLS): A Review and Giveaway

 If this is not a title and cover that will grab your attention--I'm not sure what will!

Sophia Gholz is no stranger to my blog. I have reviewed BUG ON THE RUG; JACK HORNER, DINOSAUR HUNTER; and THE BOY WHO GREW A FOREST. But I must say, A HISTORY OF TOILET PAPER (Running Press Kids, 2022) is different from all of her other books. The book includes facts that curious kids will love, humorous illustrations by Xiana Teimoy, and witty word play.

In the beginning, potty time meant the great outdoors, with stones and seashells, grass, moss, leaves, and water or snow. 

Technology advanced from there to,

Potty tools changed over time.

Sophia gathered all sorts of facts which will grab the interest of everyone from potty-training toddlers to their older brothers and sisters:

• The Romans pottied in public and didn't mind sharing tesorium (bum brushes). 
• A Chinese inventor, Cai Lun, created paper in the first century. But it took a thousand years before the imperial family figured it was not only good for writing documents, but also suitable for wiping one's rear end. 
• The first flushing toilet was invented by Sir John Harrington. But,

(Did you catch the word play?)

• Across the pond, colonists found that corn as well as the Farmer's Almanac were useful outhouse accessories.
• Less than two hundred years ago, Joseph Gayetty's invention of medicated wipes were not well received. You could say they went down the drain. 
• It wasn't until the close of the 19th century that perforated toilet paper became a common household item--courtesy Clarence and E. Irvin Scott brothers. 

In the end, Sophia Gholz concludes,

...whether you prefer your potty to be fancy, simple, shared, private, or in the great outdoors--or whether you have paper, grass, sticks, or water--when it's time to go, it's time to go.

                                                    ****

I bet if you watch this trailer with a child, she'll beg for the book. 

For the backstory about this clever and informative book (that includes Covid and toilet paper shortages), see Kathy Temean's interview with Sophia.

GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away a copy of this book through the April issue of Talking Story which is on Change. As you can see from the trailer and my review, there is a lot of historical change shown in this nonfiction picture book! Leave me a comment and I'll add your name to the giveaway list; the winner will be drawn in mid-April. If you're an educator you will have two chances, if you enter through Talking Story you'll also have two chances. U.S. postal addresses only.  If you are new to my blog, please make sure to include your email address!

What's in Your Pocket? A Picture Book Review, A Mini Author Interview, and A Giveaway!

Nine curious children who grew up to become scientists. Nine adults who discovered new products, new species, and new ideas. These nine individuals are the backbone of Heather Montgomery's latest book, What's In Your Pocket?  (Charlesbridge, 2021). Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga, this STEM book will be an asset to any K-3 classroom.

REVIEW

When you explore the great outdoors and find something strange and wonderful, do you put it in your pocket?   

Scientists collect specimens so they can observe the details of natural artifacts.

Immediately, young readers will be drawn into the opening pages of this book. The young girl who is pictured on the cover, is seen stooping down, examining a rock, and then pocketing it. 

As she walks off, the reader turns the page and sees a field where young George is examining a seedpod.  He must have put it in his pocket because,

The section ends with a repeated refrain,

Nobody knew that George would grow up to be the famous scientist George Washington Carver....He discovered almost three hundred new uses for the peanut including soap, glue, and fuel...

In this charming way, children are also introduced to William Beebe who held eggs in his mouth while climbing down a tree... and became the first person to see glowing fish and other deep-sea animals alive in their habitat; to Valerie Jane who put wiggly worms under her pillow...and became the famous primatologist, Jane Goodall.

Readers meet Charles Darwin (naturalist, biologist), Meg Lowman (biologist, ecologist), Diego Cisneros-Heredia (naturalist and scientist),

Mary Anning (paleontologist), Bonnie Lei (conservation biologist), and Maria Sibylla Merian (naturalist and scientific illustrator).

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the little girl "narrator" as she explores and collects elements from nature, and the nine mini-biographies of scientists who loved the outdoors as children. The text is very child-friendly and I can practically hear Heather Montgomery speaking directly to the reader!  

The last two pages are a wonderful spread of the animals seen in the book along with the little girl marveling at one of her discoveries. The text reads:

Throughout history, kids have found all

kinds of strange and wonderful things.

They've created collections.

They've made discoveries.

They've changed the world of science.

Every discovery started with just one thing.

One little thing that could fit in a pocket.

What's in your pocket?

Can't you just picture children checking what's inside their pockets after that last line?

BACK MATTER

I'm a back matter junkie and What's In Your Pocket is an example of one of the best. Four and a half pages are filled with "More About These (Grown-Up) Kids. One and a half pages are delightful notes from the illustrator and author. Readers hear about how nature inspired both Maribel Lechuga and Heather Montgomery and how they researched this book. (Artists and writers: Get ready to be impressed!) I particularly like how Heather included that she respects nature, that she respects the people she lives with by "making sure my artifacts are clean and (mostly) stink-free, and she respects herself. "I don't put my hands where my eyes can't see (like under a rock or log). Field guides and a bibliography complete the book.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

CAROL: This is a longer picture book than most.  How did you and Charlesbridge determine the length? ​

HEATHER: Originally, I paced this manuscript to be 32 pages; fortunately, in an early discussion about the project, editor Alyssa Pusey suggested expanding it to 40 pages. At that point in 2018, she was looking for longer picture books. I was delighted. It allowed two full spreads for most of the scientists, gave extra space for backmatter, and made room for more of that luscious art.

CAROL: Closely tied to that first question—how did you pick which scientists to focus on? Were there others you wanted to feature who didn’t make it into the book?

​HEATHER: Finding just the right stories was the challenge. Researching full biographies, I developed a list of scientists and stories. But those biographies did not showcase enough diversity. I crossed names off my list to make room for others. And that required some creative research (like a Google survey sent to scientists around the world). Not only that, but the anecdotes had to convey the right mix of sweetness and skills. It took careful selection and sequencing to illustrate skill-building.

CAROL: I love the structure of the book where you show the scientist as a child and then the reader turns the page and finds out who they became as an adult. Did you indicate that was how you conceived the book when you submitted the manuscript?

​HEATHER: The pause of the page turn can be so powerful. From early on in this project I wanted to make use of the page turn to let readers predict what kind of scientist the young collector might become. It's like an entire biography condensed into two spreads. When I submitted my draft, I used numbers in brackets (i.e. [Page 4-5]) to suggest where page turns might fall. Not every editor wants that, so research before you submit! 

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment by Saturday, October 16 at 6 PM to enter the giveaway. For an extra chance, start following my blog and let me know that you did. U.S. postal addresses only. IF YOU ARE NEW TO MY BLOG, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!

                                            

WOOF! and SCURRY! Two "The Truth About" Books, a Mini-Author Interview, and 2 Giveaways!

They say that titles should draw a reader into a book--and these two titles got my attention, how about yours?

WOOF!

WOOF! is Annette Whipple's second book in her "Truth About" series published by Reycraft Books. 

In 32 packed pages the author covers a gamut of information about these much loved pets. Readers in kindergarten through fourth grade will enjoy the pictures, accessible text, and art illustrations throughout the book. 

Woof! is set up to answer the questions which kids typically ask:

"Why are puppies born with closed eyes?" (The answer includes information on development in the mother's womb.)

"Do dogs have feelings?" (The answer is accompanied by pictures which portray dogs emotions.)

"How do dogs communicate?" (Surprise: there is more than one way to bark!)

And one I wouldn't have thought to ask:

There are no off-limit questions in this book. Why dogs sniff embarrassing body parts, chew shoes, and even if dogs are just tamed wolves!

WOOF! also includes how to greet a dog, how to help dogs, a DIY tug toy kids can make, and a glossary. This would be a great addition to any library or as a gift to the dog-loving child in your life.

                                                                 ******

SCURRY!

True confession. I am NOT a fan of spiders. As a kid I wouldn't even look at a picture of one! (Any other folks with arachnophobia out there?) 

Like WOOF!, SCURRY! also focuses on answering children's common questions. Starting with "What are spiders?" and "Where do spiders live?" Illustrated spiders amplify the text in "Spider Spin" sidebars.

Your budding entomologist will be happy to report why spiders are hairy, what they eat, how they hunt their prey, how males find females, how females lay eggs, and how they grow. Back matter includes a spider web challenge, a glossary, and a list of spider families and species.

I'd rather meet a dog than a spider. But, maybe if I'd had this book when I was a child, I wouldn't want to automatically squish one when it crawls across my bathroom floor!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

CAROL: Did you pick these topics and query Reycraft with a proposal or did you write the first and then get contracted for the others? 

ANNETTE: I pitched the first book, Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls with just the manuscript. Once we were ready to turn it into a series, I shared ideas with my editor. He discussed my ideas with the editorial team about moving forward. From there, they decided on dogs and spiders! Then I received the contract for the second and third books in The Truth About series with Reycraft Books.

CAROL: Any reason you picked these three topics? 

ANNETTE: I originally chose owls because they absolutely fascinate me. They're an amazing animal and I wanted everyone to know how incredible they are. Since each book includes so many photographs, we knew that the series needed to continue with highly photogenic animals--and ones with lots of species for variation. Dogs are a great choice for the series because we think we know them, but really, there's a lot for people like me to learn about dogs. Spiders were also a great choice because they're so misunderstood! 

CAROL: Will there be more books? 

ANNETTE: Next year two more books will be added to The Truth About series. Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs releases in spring 2022. Then Meow! The Truth About Cats comes out fall 2022. I've already seen the frog book in design and it's toad-ally awesome! This fall I should be able to show my newsletter subscribers the cover for Ribbit! I can't wait!

Be sure to check out Annette's website for printables, a link to her newsletter, and information for teachers and writers. Both WOOF! and SCURRY! will make great curriculum resources for lower elementary schools. 

GIVEAWAYS

Comment on this post by 6 PM on October 1 to enter the giveaway. PLEASE leave your email address when you comment if you are new to my blog or else I can't include your name in the giveaway. Share this post on social media and tell me what you did and I'll put your name in twice. Continental U.S. addresses only. 

                                                                        *******

Congratulations to Barbara Younger who won Our Michigan! and to Rosie Russell who won Lulu & Rocky in Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez- Picture Book Biography and Giveaway

I am happy to be part of the Calkins Creek blog tour for Larry Dane Brimner's new informational book, Without Separation. 

INTRODUCTION

Since I'm interested in writing nonfiction picture books, I've taken several webinars recently with The Writing Barn. (BTW, they're affordable and a fantastic way to learn a new genre!). The last one I took was with Liz Garton Scanlon on "Openings and Endings".

According to Scanlon, the opening of the book is a "promise to the reader. This is a story about a problem and we’re going to get to the end and it’ll be okay." After looking at several picture book beginnings, she showed how the ending brings the story full circle and fulfills that initial promise. In fact, if you only read the beginning and the ending of a picture book, you can guess what you might find in the middle. (Try it sometime with a picture book off your shelf. You'll be amazed at how this works!)

Why am I explaining all of this? Because that's what I found in Without Separation.

REVIEW

On January 8, 1931, Roberto was happy to go back to Lemon Grove Grammar School outside San Diego California.

His friends were happy to see him, but he and his Mexican friends were not welcomed by the principal. He told them that their teachers were waiting for them in the Mexican school on Olive Street.

As it turns out, in the summer of 1930, the board of trustees of the school district had met and complained about the Mexican children. They claimed that they held back the white students, were unclean, and a danger to the health of others. A decision was made to build a separate school--but no one told the Mexican parents.

Roberto and his friends refused to go to the new school which they called la caballeriza--the barnyard.  Roberto was a good student and didn't want to attend a separate school. His family agreed. The Mexican families met and recognized that the new school was meant to segregate--not to provide English language instruction. 

Roberto was chosen to be the lead plaintiff in the case against the school district. Roberto was perfect for the job: he had been turned away from Lemon Grove, was a good student, and fluent in English. His case could prove that the school board's justification for a new school was false. 

On March 11, 1931 a Supreme Court Justice of California ruled: "The Lemon Grove School District had no power to set up a separate school for Mexican children." 

Roberto had won! Not only was this a victory for him, but also for all the Mexican and Mexican American children within the school district. 

The story comes full circle. At the end, all are welcomed.

As I mentioned in the introduction, Larry Brimner fulfilled his promise to the reader. There is a problem that gets solved and in the end...everything is okay. 

CURRICULUM RESOURCE

This book can be used in 2-4th grade classrooms as classes discuss immigration, prejudice, and segregation. The Author's Note is geared towards older readers and goes into extensive detail about Roberto's case and the historical and geographical context of the court decision. In particular, the author mentioned that this ruling was cited as a precedent before the US Supreme Court made its historical landmark decision of 1954 known as the Brown v. Board of education of Topeka (Kansas).

The acrylic illustrations by Maya Gonzalez are vivid and colorful in keeping with Mexican art and Mexican folk art.

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment by 6 PM on Friday, September 17 to enter. PLEASE leave your email address if you are new to my blog. In honor of National Hispanic American Heritage Month, if you are Hispanic let me know and I'll enter your name twice.

                                                    ****

Congratulations to Margo Jantzi, a librarian who took advantage of having two chances to win last week. She won June Almeida: Virus Detective from last week's blog.

June Almeida, Virus Detective: A Nonfiction Picture Book Review and Giveaway

When author Suzanne Slade read about June Almeida in National Geographic in April, 2020, many of us were still figuring out how the coronavirus pandemic would impact our lives. Suzanne put aside the book she was working on and spent two intense weeks (after serious research and interviewing June's daughter Dr. Joyce Almeida), to complete a decent first draft. She contacted two publishers with whom she had previously worked. She wanted to know who could do the fastest turn-around since she was hoping to get the book out in one year. Sleeping Bear Press was the most excited about the topic and were prepared to "move mountains" to release it in one year-- which they did. In early 2021, Suzanne's book about the woman who discovered the first human coronavirus was published by Sleeping Bear Press. What a timely book!

REVIEW

As a child, June loved school and discovering new things in science. 

She also loved her baby brother Harry. When she was ten he died of a serious illness. As she grew up, June never forgot him and the illness that took him away at such a young age. 

Apart from studying biology and finding out about cells and their jobs, she also enjoyed photographing nature. 

To help support her family, June left school at 16 and obtained a job at a local hospital. She gained skills in using a microscope. Several years later she used these skills when she started working with a powerful electron microscope. 

Photo from the Washington Post January 2021
but courtesy of Julie Almeida.

Instead of using light, this huge microscope shot a beam of electrons at the sample being examined. It recored how the electrons acted when they hit the sample and then created a detailed picture...The microscope's photos were helpful. But it was hard to tell which tiny blobs were viruses and which were cells....June was determined to get better pictures.

Using her photography and electron microscope skills, June blasted antibodies and virus cells with an electron beam. "The antibodies "crowded around the virus--just as she'd hoped." 

Her excellent pictures made her famous in the scientific world. A London scientist sent her a mysterious virus no one in his lab could identify. 

June used a technique called negative staining and spotted the mystery virus!

Photo courtesy Julie Almeida and A.J. Tyrell.

Years earlier she'd seen two other viruses that looked like this virus, but researchers rejected her paper saying she couldn't have possibly found a new virus.

But in 1964 she did. She and the scientists named it Coronavirus. 

CURRICULUM RESOUCE

This inspirational curriculum resource will be a welcome addition to home and classroom libraries in grades 1-4. I love that this STEM book ends with a poem which June wrote, (with apologies to poet William Blake, the author of "The Tyger").

Virus, Virus, shining bright,

in the phosphotungstic night,

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fivefold symmetry.

The author explains that "the first two lines refer to the phosphotungstic acid June used to turn the liquid surrounding virus particles black, making it easier to see bright white virus particles. The last line describes a virus particle with five identical sections."

As you can tell from the illustrations and the book trailer below, illustrator Elisa Paganelli and Sleeping Bear Press did a great job paying attention to details. No wonder Suzanne said, "I'm incredibly happy with how the book turned out."

 

Back matter includes more information bout June, her use of the electron microscope, a timeline, and a bibliography. 

GIVEAWAY

Leave me a comment (with your email address if you are new to my blog) by 5 PM September 10. If you are a teacher, homeschool educator, or media specialist please let me know and I'll enter your name twice!

BUGS DON'T HUG: Six Legged Parents and Their Kids- A NonFiction Picture Book Review and Author Interview

After I took a webinar with Heather Montgomery on the "Dynamics of Science and Nature Writing," I knew I wanted to share her book, BUGS DON'T HUG (Charlesbridge, 2018) with you. 

Not only is each page filled with interesting and unusual facts, but showing bugs as babies with their mommies and daddies, makes the information completely accessible to even very young readers. 

Check out this opening spread creatively illustrated by Stephen Stone.

From a bug lifted from his crib to four bugs gathered around the breakfast table, young readers will relate to baby bugs. Each laughable concept (a mother bug making scrambled eggs and toast) to it's real counterpart, (a mother cricket who lays special eggs for her babies),  Montgomery and Stone have brought entomology into the pre-school through second grade classroom.

Normal parts of a parent's day are compared with what bugs do. So, "Daddy bugs don't clean up dirty diapers" but,

"At lunchtime bugs don't plea with picky eaters..." But, 

In the same way, the author and illustrator show fantastical versions of bugs not rocking their babies, serving birthday cakes, or tucking their babies in--juxtaposed (with a page turn) of illustrations depicting real bugs doing, well...just about that!

In the end the reader is asked...

Which is answered on the next page:

The back matter includes three pages with information about the nine featured bugs, a short recommended reading list, and an introduction to scientific language. The note to parents emphasizes that our reaction to insects will shape how children will feel about them.

*****

I was super-impressed with the rhythm which Heather created for the reader.  Naturally, I had to ask about her creative process.

CAROL: I love how you set the book up with statements and refutations from the bug world--the pacing and page turns are so cool. Did you envision it like this? Did you request that the book be set up in this manner? 

HEATHER: It took me a long time to figure this book out, but yes, the manuscript I submitted included the vision to use page turns to (1) allow kids a chance to predict (2) help separate the fantastical and realistic depictions. I did not, however, include specific page turn instructions in the manuscript. Later, after the book was acquired and the editor asked for it, I shared a book map to convey this vision (which she loved!). 

I think that in nonfiction books we often put all the information about one animal/topic on one spread and miss the opportunity to use the page turn for drama and as a pause to encourage thinking. As an author, I wanted to take advantage of that aspect of the picture book format; as an educator, I wanted to give kids an easy in to (and adults an excuse to discuss) thinking about the two different presentations of each animal. I'm all about encouraging critical thinking and thought that exagerating the playful/realistic depictions would help kids "get" the need to read words and visuals carefully.

CAROL: And of course the inevitable question...how did you come up with the idea? I guess that's sort of like a chicken and egg type question. Did you know certain bugs took care of their young in these specific ways, or did you imagine the book first? 

I'm a bug nut and am always looking for ways to invite others to love bugs. I had read this fascinating book, The Other Insect Societies by Dr. James Costa, about the subsocial insects. We all know about social insects like ants and bees which live in colonies and about insects who drop their eggs and leave, but Dr Costa's book opened my mind to this world of insects that give some form of parental care. I used up about a thousand sticky notes to flag phenomenal facts in that book and had been trying to figure out a way to incorporate them into a book for kids. One day as I was taking a walk with a friend and her young kids, I found my way into this book. Her son and I found an earwig and, uncomfortable with the creep factor, my friend stepped away.  But when said, "Hey, it's a bug mommy!" she showed a bit of interest. Then I told her son that this mom had to shop in the forest for her kids favorite foods, and my friend stepped closer. By the time I said that the bug mom has to give her eggs a bath every day to keep dangerous fungus away, my friend was leaning over my shoulder to see more. Right then it clicked. 

The book needed to be for adults as well as the kids. For all those grown-ups who feel squeamish when their little one brings them a six-legged treasure . . . For that moment when they want to squash the bug but their child loves it .. .  If I could just give adults new insight, I might be able to turn conflicted moments into moments of shared wonder. 

And then, with a "big idea" firmly in mind, I could finally pick out the useful pieces from my junk heap of research and make progress towards a publishable book.

CAROL: As an adult who feels squeamish about bugs, I love how you "found your way" into this book.  Thanks for introducing adults and children into these many dimension of bug life!

                                                *****        

Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won Isabel and Her Colores Go To School, and to Janet Sheets who won The Color Collector. No giveaway this week. My grandchildren are adding BUGS DON'T HUG to their library!

OCEAN SOUP: A Recipe for You, Me, and a Cleaner Sea: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

 Beware! Reading this nonfiction picture book written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Lucy Semple, may convince you that you are over-using plastic. That's what it did for me!

Do you see those four children walking along the beach on the cover? Those characters illustrate the scenes of Ocean Soup (Sleeping Bear Press, 2021) as they go from playing at the beach, to discovering that what appears to be pure and clean under a microscope is SOUP! And not a very tasty or healthy one either. 

REVIEW

As you can tell, Meeg Pincus wrote a book with a powerful message, in simple and accessible verse. On a few pages she shows how people have been using styrofoam cups, bottled water, synthetic fibers, and plastic containers without thinking about the consequences to our environment. 

The four characters ask an important question:

Do you ever wonder how this produced Ocean Soup? 

How such everyday habits made saltwater goop? 

 

 

Here is a fact I didn't know:

Once it's made , any plastic is with us to stay. 

It's on Earth till forever--there's no real "away."

Here are more interesting facts shown on a spread of the world's oceans:

Sad and startling is the fact that Ocean Soup fills the bellies of all types of creatures from dolphins to plankton to crabs. And if plastic is in the bellies of fish then,

The "story" ends with four pages of suggestions of ways in which children can use less plastic. 

End notes include lists of the plastics that pollute the world's seas and a recipe for cleaner oceans. Meeg's author's note reflected how I felt after reading Ocean Soup:

I wrote this book to remind myself about my own impact on my beloved ocean, by the daily choices I make, as much as anyone else. We all need to rethink our use of plastic and speak up to manufactures and lawmakers about the overproduction. It will take a sea change to save our seas--and it starts with each one of us, each day.

This great curriculum resource can be useful in kindergarten through fourth grade. The characters appear to be around eight, but the book's message that is delivered in smooth rhyme, is for all ages.

Here's an interesting note from Meeg about the four children who show up throughout the book. Since they have no speaking lines, I wondered if she created them or suggested them to the illustrator. Here is what she said:

"The four kids were a creation of the art team for the book, actually! I'm not sure who among the illustrator, art director, and editor came up with them, but I was so thrilled when I saw them! I think it's a great example of how "leaving room for the illustrator" can lead to magic when the artist sees their own story within the author's story."

GIVEAWAY

To enter, please leave me a comment by 6 PM on June 4 along with your email address if you are new to my blog. Share it on social media and tell me what you did, and I'll enter your name twice.  Continental U.S. addresses only. 

Lincoln Clears A Path: A Picture Book Biography

Congratulations to Kathleen Burkinshaw and Carolyn Frazier who won autographed copies of Halli Gomez's book, LIST OF TEN from last week's blog.

                                                                    *******

In Lincoln Clears A Path (Calkins Creek, 2021) a new picture book by talented picture book author Peggy Thomas, our 16th president's accomplishments are presented from a different perspective. Although he is known for his stance against slavery, how many students know about his agricultural legacy?  In a book well-suited for home and classroom libraries, readers from 7-10 years of age are introduced to the many other paths which Lincoln cleared.

The book opens with seven-year old Abe arriving in the middle of the Indiana wilderness. This was not a farm. Not yet.

His family got to work.

Along with his father, Abe felled trees, cleared brush, pulled stumps and plowed fields. At night he studied stars, math and poetry...Abe marveled at how the founding fathers--Thwack! Swish! Thwump Yah!--cleared a path for folks like him.

In New Orleans Abe saw how slaves were auctioned off and he wondered, Could anyone clear a path for them?

Back home in Illinois, his friends urged their talented friend to run for office. He was poor and uneducated. But his friends provided books to read, tutoring in math, and even a suit to wear.

In the Illinois legislature he cleared paths for better schools and more roads. He stood against slavery. "There is no reason in this world why the negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

But soon after he was elected president, South Carolina seceded and the Civil War began (see this timeline for more information.)

In the middle of the war, Lincoln did something that was seemingly unrelated to the North-South conflict. He created the United States Department of Agriculture to support the farmers who were supporting the troops.

But that was not all.

With a stroke of his pen, he signed the Homestead Act and cleared a path west. "New free States are the places for poor people to go to and better their condition," he wrote.

Then he signed the Pacific Railway Act and cleared a path across the nation.

In addition, Lincoln created land-grant colleges which cleared a path for students to learn more about agriculture.

He cleared a final path when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation and created a path to freedom for slaves. 

By Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 - http://www.wdl.org/media/2714/service/thumbnail/6000x6000/1/1.jpgGallery: http://www.wdl.org/en/item/2714/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31578413 

"'Liberty to all'....clears the path for all--gives hope to all." 

The onomatopoeia of the four words--Thwack! Swish! Thwump! and Yah! which repeat throughout the story will keep even younger readers engaged. The simple, yet profound message of what Abraham Lincoln accomplished is communicated through the text, his quotes, and interesting facts distributed throughout the book. 

Nine pages of back matter include highlights from Abraham's childhood and adult years; how the Civil War affected U.S. agriculture; and a bibliography. There is additional information about the four acts; the author made sure to show how Native Americans were unfairly impacted by these acts. 

I was particularly impressed with how Thomas discovered the theme by noticing Lincoln's phrase "clearing the path" in his writing. She writes, "Sometimes he was referring to the removal of rocks and stumps so a wagon could pass, but other times he was thinking about ways to remove much bigger obstacles like poverty, racism, and ignorance so that all Americans could lead a better life." She challenges readers by asking, "How could you clear a path?" 

Illustrator Stacy Innerst's sepia watercolors evoke an "old-timey" feel which lends a distinct flavor to this historical picture book biography. 

No giveaway this week! I'm saving this book for my grandchildren. 

Here is a short video by Carolyn Yoder, Peggy Thomas's editor at Calkins Creek.