Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Know Exactly What You Are

Title: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Know Exactly What You Are
Author: Julia Kregenow, PhD
Illustrator: Carmen Saldana
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky
Copyright: September 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1492670063
Age Range: 4-8 years
Reading Level: Not evaluated yet
Cost: $12.32
Pages: 40

SUMMARY: Astrophysicist, Julia Kregenow, rewrites the classic tune "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" exploring exactly what stars are.  You can sing this title or just read it. With rhyming lines like "Smallest ones burn cool and slow, still too hot to visit, though. Red stars dominate by far twinkle, twinkle, little star" you learn little star facts.  The title would draw in both picture book fans as well as budding astronomers.  With shows like Ready Jet Go! on PBS, which sing all about outer space, this title fits right in.

CRITIQUE: Twinkle Twinkle does use more advanced vocabulary like Rorschach test and atmospheric turbulence that could go over the heads of younger readers, which the book was recommended for.  This is the main drawback of the title.  Even so, the title doesn't shy away from scientific information and is more than just an advanced "Twinkle Twinkle" song.  I was originally drawn to this title because of the cover then when you open the book you are provided with Hubble like illustrations that draw you out into space. Large print on the pages and extensive background make this more than a cutesy picture book and could be used as an introduction into a space/astronomy unit for elementary students or recommended to space loving youth.

"Nourishing fare for young stargazers who really, truly do 'wonder what you are.'" - Kirkus

FEATURES INCLUDED: At the end of the book there is "A Little More about What Stars Are" section.  The author answers the following questions: What is a star? What is a constellation? What causes twinkling? What makes stars shine? What is a black hole? What is a neutron star? What is our Sun? What is a binary? What is a galaxy?  Did you know blue stars were bigger than red stars, and our sun is actually considered a small star?  Learn this and more at the end of the story. It would have been nice if web links were provided at the end, but maybe the author wants children to explore on their own.

EXAMPLES:

Here the illustrator sets the story up with two budding astronomers using a telescope and reading an astronomy book.  You see both a boy and girl who "know exactly what a star is."

The illustrator says they combined watercolor, pencil, and collage with digital painting and texturing.  The large white print stands out against the black.  It feels almost like looking at telescope photos.

At the end of the book the author provides definitions and extra information about stars and outer space.  The extra material also has corresponding illustrations.

COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

For youth who get excited about space this may be the next book recommendation as it covers more than just stars.  You can explore planets, galaxies, black holes, and comets.  Little Kids First Big Book of Space is also recommended for youth ages 4-8 as with the title above.  I see this as a natural progression to dig deeper into the concepts covered in Twinkle Twinkle with a space encyclopedia of sorts.

It is actually difficult to find age appropriate books just about stars.  Many of the titles have the same issue as Twinkle Twinkle in that they appear to be written for younger children at times and yet use challenging vocabulary or concepts.  The other problem is that some titles are very dry and uninteresting.   The Magic School Bus Sees Stars  was recommended for ages 4-8 and could be compared to Twinkle Twinkle.  This title talks about the size of stars and takes a narrative approach to the information.  It does not use as high of vocabulary or get into as many details as Twinkle Twinkle.  You could have children compare the information from both books to see what they really learned about stars.

Saturn Could Sail: and other fun facts explores quirky space facts.  This picture books would make a fun companion book for a space themed story time.  Both titles have the same target age range (4-8) and rely heavily on the illustrations.  The title is part of the "Did You Know?" series.





SUGGESTED USES: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Know Exactly What You Are would be a fun addition to your STEM story time or an introductory title to your outer space/astronomy unit.  Young children can relate to the song and enjoy the illustrations, while elementary children could appreciate the facts at the end.  Here is a sample Star Lesson Plan. First and fifth grades typically explore outer space in school.  The following Next Generation Science Standards are the most closely related standards to this title:

1-ESS1-1.  Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.

5-ESS1-1.  Support an argument that the apparent brightness of the sun and stars is due to their relative distance from Earth

HIDDEN FIGURES: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race

Title: Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Back Women and the Space Race

Author: Margot Lee Shetterly Illustrator: Laura Freeman

Publisher: Harper Collins

Copyright: January 16, 2018

ISBN: 978-0062742469

Age Range: 4-8

Reading Level: Lexile-980

Cost: $16.19

Pages: 40

SUMMARY: Margot Lee Shetterly, who also authored the adult Hidden Figures as well as the Young Readers' Edition brings "the true story of four black women and the space race" to the an even younger audience.  This picture books follows the lives of four African-American calculators who worked for NASA, and overcame racial and gender inequality in the workplace.  For those who loved the movie, based on Shetterly's book, will appreciate this story being illustrated for young minds.  These women were truly remarkable in their determination and left a lasting impression on the mathematics and aeronautics world as NASA's first African-American supervisor, first female African-American aerospace engineer, a part of the Flight Research Division, and an expert on sonic booms.

CRITIQUE: While this title does condense the original content of Shetterly's other versions, it brings important topics to a younger audience.  The author provides a "Glossary" at the end of the book defining some of the more challenging vocabulary like "aeronautics, turbulence, and NASA.  Katherine Johnson seems to get the most attention in other titles covering the space race and female African-American computers, but this picture book highlights all four women and their accomplishments.  This is a great addition to STEM literature.

FEATURES INCLUDED: The book includes a "Timeline, Meet the Computers, Glossary, and Author's Note."

EXAMPLES:

Here you meet Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden.  Laura Freeman's two page illustrations bring the mathematicians to life.

Freeman's illustrations show the segregation that was occurring in the south as well as the discrimination against women. 

At the end of the book the author provides a timeline of the four mathematicians' careers and key flight events.  There is also a brief biography about each of the four women at the end of the book.

COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

Hidden Figures: Young Readers' Edition is in fact written by the same author, but is considered the Young Readers' Edition.  The picture book edition was written for ages 4-8, whereas this edition was written for ages 8-12.  While the content may be similar, this title explores the four African-American female computers more in-depth.  You will not find the same level of illustrations in this title as the picture book version.

Counting on Katherine focuses on one of the mathematicians, Katherine Johnson, who was the main star of the hit movie Hidden Figures.  The title could be used as a companion piece, read-aloud, or just to dig deeper into one of the women from Hidden Figures. The illustrations are lovely just like Shetterly's title.

After reading Hidden Figures, Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History would make an excellent "next read."  "Meet 40 trailblazing women who broke barriers of race and gender."  All of these titles would be excellent choices to read for Black History Month, or utilized when teaching about civil rights and segregation.  Katherine Johnson is also included in this title.

SUGGESTED USES: Shetterly's title would make an excellent addition to Black History Month displays, women in science/history displays, STEM reading clubs, etc.  This title could also be used when discussing the civil rights movement, segregation, and equality.  The following lesson plan uses Hidden Figures as part of a history lesson plan Women in history lesson plan. NASA also provides lesson plans through its' Modern Figures Toolkit. 

Science & Engineering Processing Standards (SEPS)-Indiana State Academic Standards
SEPS.5-Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
In both science and engineering, mathematics and computation are fundamental tools for representing physical variables and their relationships. They are used for a range of tasks such as constructing simulations; solving equations exactly or approximately; and recognizing, expressing, and applying quantitative relationships.

Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics

Title: Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics
Author: Steve Jenkins
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Copyright: November 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0544630925
Age Range: 6-9 Years or Grades 2-6
Reading Level: Lexile-940
Cost: $17.09
Pages: 48

SUMMARY: Animals by the Numbers is a book filled with infographics.  Even the table of contents uses graphics to guide you to sections.  Want to know which species dominates the globe?  Well it is not mammals!  Want to see how humans compare in size to the largest animals?  Did you know the Cheetah is not the fastest creature on the planet? Who has the longest tongue on Earth?  Did you know a giraffe only sleeps 2 1/2 hours a day?  All of these facts and so many more can be found in this book.  Of course you can find out most, if not all, of this information on the internet, but the use of infographics allows for easy comparisons of the species.  The collage like graphics accompanying the charts adds whimsy and breaks up the monotony of the many charts.  This book is filled with facts that are absolutely fascinating.  Did you know the most deadly creature on the planet is the Mosquito?

CRITIQUE:  Not only can youth learn a great deal about the animals around them, but they also can learn about creating infographics (charts, graphs, & pictographs).  The title takes layers upon layers of facts and breaks them down into digestible, fun, and fascinating pictures.  This is definitely a title that could be in every elementary classroom, not just in a library.  The title received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Booklist. It was the 2018 winner of AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.
"The intriguing and engaging format of this title is stimulating on a variety of levels, and the approach should appeal to a wide range of students, especially visual learners, something for which educators will be grateful. A brilliantly executed take on a perennially high-interest topic." --Booklist

FEATURES INCLUDED: The book includes a Table of Contents at the beginning and a Bibliography at the end with books/websites used.  You can find out more books by Steve Jenkins at his website: www.stevejenkinsbooks.com

EXAMPLES:

This page highlights "Animal Leapers."  Here like many other pages you can see more than one fact in a chart.  You can see distance jumped in feet in relation to distance jumped times body length.  While a snow leopard can leap up to 50 feet, a froghopper can leap up to 112x body length.  Then at the top it compares the two in relation to one another.

On this spread we see the life spans of animals compared.  P.S. humans are not chart topping!  What is cool is that each color represents a different species.  So again you can compare multiple things at once.  On the right side it's all about heart, beats that is.  Hummingbirds hearts beat at 1200 bpm compared to a blue whale at 10 bpm.  Now check out the size of a blue whale's heart in comparison to the size of a child.


COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

Steve Jenkins has so many wonderful book; however, Actual Size provides visual facts about animals in relation to us.  After reading Animals by the Numbers you may want to take your students on a journey through Actual Size so they can see for themselves what the actual facts and figures look like.

The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts also presents lesser known animal facts.  This title does not use infographics, but merely whimsical illustrations and amazing animal facts.  Did you know sea horses have no teeth or stomachs?  If students love Jenkin's book they might love another book filled with random animal facts.  This title would make a nice companion to Jenkin's work.

While there appears to be no exact comparison title to Animals by the Numbers, students would appreciate digging deeper into individual animals by way of an encyclopedia.  National Geographic uses stunning photos in this title, and includes "animal profiles spreads that focus in-depth on a particular animal and animal records spreads that highlight superlatives such as fastest, tallest, smallest, etc."






SUGGESTED USES:  This title lends itself more towards individual exploration as opposed to a read-aloud title.  There are two lesson plans below to explore the ways teachers can use this title.  If libraries are putting together an animal display this title should definitely be included.  Steve Jenkins has written enough books that libraries could create an author study display of just his works as well. This title could be used in science lessons, math lessons, and language arts.

Philadelphia Zoo Corresponding Math Lesson Plan (CCSS provided)
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Reading, Writing, and Language Arts Educator's Guide (CCSS provided, starts on page 15)

Scientist, Scientist, Who Do You See?

Title: Scientist, Scientist, What Do You See?
Author: Chris Ferrie
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Copyright: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1492656180
Age Range: 4-8 years
Reading Level: Not evaluated yet
Cost: $12.32

SUMMARY: This science parody of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? follows the rhythmic pattern of a beloved Eric Carle book.

"Mani, Mani Who do you see? I see Charles Darwin and the diversity of species." 

Ferrie introduces budding young scientists to just a few of the many famous scientists who have gone before. Albert Einstein, Katherine Johnson, Chien-Shiung Wu, and Alan Turing are just a few of the scientists included in the book.  What is most exciting is the inclusion of scientist from all different disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science, Botany, and Physics.  Ferrie also includes scientists from all over the globe as well. 

CRITIQUE: While some of the rhymes are a bit forced, the book introduces little tidbits about the scientists in a fun manner.  Unfortunately, there do not appear to be any reviews of this title by Kirkus, School Library Journal, etc.  As for awards, this title has not been mentioned in any best of lists yet.  It is a newer title, and perhaps that is the reason for the lack of reviews.  Honestly, I had never heard of some of these scientists before, and this book has spurred my interest in finding out more about these lesser known scientists.  The author does a nice job of balancing male to female scientists and shows quite a bit of diversity.  You are Not going to find a book about all white male scientists here. 

FEATURES INCLUDED: At the end of the parody there is an "About the Scientists" section where you can learn exactly what each scientist was famous for.  While the section is short and sweet the information is age appropriate.


EXAMPLES:

Here you begin to see the diversity of countries included. Anna Mani was an Indian physicist and meteorologist.  You also see the use of exaggerated head size providing a cartoon feel to the graphics.







The author also included little illustrations relating to the area of study for each scientist.  Katherine Johnson was a mathematician an worked for NASA.  The author also drew clothing that was related to the time period each scientist lived. 

Here is an example of a Nobel prize winning Egyptian-American scientist Ahmed Zewail.  To be honest I had never heard of him before.  This book highlights lesser known scientists.





At the end, like Brown Bear, Brown Bear you see the cast of characters fully.  The author did a great job of showcasing the diversity in science.  Six women, six men, some famous from the 1800's others recently famous.  Egyptian, American, English, Indian, Chinese, Scottish, and  French-Polish are represented. 








COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

Ada Twist, Scientist  is also a rhyming book aimed at a similar age, 5-7 years-old.  "Inspired by real-life makers such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist champions girl power and women scientists, and brings welcome diversity to picture books about girls in science." 
This title would make a nice companion book to Scientist, Scientist, showing students how they can be scientists as well.

This title is for youth a bit older, 8-12 years of age, but uses the same comic "big head" illustrations as Ferrie's title.  Andrea Mills' 100 Scientists Who Made History would be an excellent tool to dig into after reading Scientist, Scientist.  You could also use this title and have students pick out new scientists to continue the parody, teaching their fellow classmates about even more scientists.

Goodnight Lab was Ferrie's first parody book.  Many youth have heard Goodnight Moon and will get a kick out of this parody as well as review basic scientific tools.  Chris Ferrie knows how to make science look fun.  You could read this as a companion title when discussing STEM concepts or discussing what a parody is.




SUGGESTED USES:  Scientist, Scientist would make a fun STEM read-aloud for library story time or to a classroom.  The rhythmic pattern makes the book easy to follow and lends itself well to being read to a crowd.  For teachers wanting their students to learn more about scientist, and the myriad of science disciplines this title provides a crash course.  I can also see this title being used to teach the concept of a parody.  Teachers could reading Brown, Bear then Scientist, Scientist and discuss the literary format.  Students could then write their own parody. While parodies are covered in grades 6-12, there is no reason books like this could not be used with older youth for this concept.

Indiana State Standards (Science & Engineering Process Standards):
SEPS.3-Scientists and engineers are constructing and performing investigations in the field or laboratory, working collaboratively as well as individually.  Researching analogous problems in order to gain insight into possible solutions allows them to make conjectures about the form and meaning of the solution.
SEPS.6-Scientists and engineers use their results from the investigation in constructing descriptions and explanations, citing the interpretation of data, connecting the investigation to how the natural and designed world(s) work.  

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

Title: Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine
Author: Laurie Wallmark
Illustrator: April Chu
Publisher: Creston Books
Copyright: October 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-1939547200
Age Range: K-3 (5-8 years-old)
Reading Level: AR 4.6
Cost: $16.68
Pages: 40






Awards/Recognition: 
Booklist Top Ten Books in Science and Health

Booklist Editor's Choice: Books for Youth 2015
National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Book
California Reading Association Eureka Gold Medal Winner
Cook Prize Honor
2016 Amelia Bloomer List
Assoc. of Childrens Librarians of Northern California Outstanding Book
Junior Library Guild Selection
Outstanding Merit, Bank Street Best Children's Books 2016
Patterson Prize Winner 

Society of Illustrators, Original Art Show 2016

ILA-CBC Children's Choices Reading List

SUMMARY: Ada Byron Lovelace, the daughter of famous poet Lord Byron and her mathematician mother (Princess of Parallelograms), is known as the first person to write a computer program.  This biography explores Ada's childhood, her struggles overcoming blindness and paralysis from a childhood disease, and her rise to becoming the first person to write a computer program.  At a time, 1800's, when women were "not encouraged" to do math and science Ada's mother hired female tutors specifically to teach such skills to Ada.  Ada was always thinking of inventions and loved numbers.  This biography reads like narrative nonfiction and introduces readers to STEM concepts from the 1800's.  

CRITIQUE: The title amazingly received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. The illustrations are highly detailed and the writing doesn't just throw facts at you.  After this title was published two more biographies about Ada Lovelace were published.  This title is pro-women in science, and encourages little girls to start inventing early.  What I love is the knowledge that computing devices were in the works long before one even imagined.  Ada's mother was a strong independent knowledgeable woman and Ada followed in her footsteps.  The drama with Ada's father was previously unknown to myself, and made me want to research more. Kirkus sums up the story the best,  "a splendidly inspiring introduction to an unjustly overlooked woman."--Kirkus

FEATURES INCLUDED: The author includes notes at the end of the book, a section on "The World's First Computer Program," a fun section on Ada's nicknames, a timeline, and bibliography.  

EXAMPLES:

The illustrator uses full page spreads to draw the reader into the space.  Here you get the background of Ada's famous father and her mathematician mother. Just look at those paintings in the background! 

In this illustration you are introduced to an early computing machine, and Ada's ideas for using the machine.  The pages are not overwhelmed with words, and the illustrations follow the story.

Throughout the book the use of perspective (you are looking through a window) and impeccable details makes the illustrations jump off the page.  Ada's kitty makes an appearance on most pages. In this book the illustrations are just as important as the words.







COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer by Diane Stanley also explores the famous computer programmer.  This title was an ALA Notable book and received a starred review from Booklist. This biography takes a more whimsical approach to the illustrations.  Again touching on the same topic Stanley focuses more on Ada's parents relationship and drama than the other two biographies.  This title would be considered more fanciful.  This title is listed for preschool-3, and the preview titles are listed for a little older audience.  

This book talk explores a comparison title Ada's  Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's  First Computer Programmer.  While the content  may be similar, the illustrations are very  different from the title above.  This title appears  to focus more on Ada's ideas (inventions) as  opposed to just computing. It is not that one title is inherently better than the other, but having  students compare the titles for accuracy, content, and illustrations would add to the learning  experience.   


SUGGESTED USES: If you are teaching lessons on famous women in science, have a STEM book club, or just want to offer an interesting biography this book does the trick.  Marcie Colleen offers a curriculum guide to Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine. You could use the three biographies by comparing/contrasting, taking a vote as to which biography is a favorite, and determining whether their source material was valid.  Marcie Colleen's curriculum guide meets the following educational standards:

Common Core Aligned for Grades 1-4 in both ELA and Math
1st grade: ELA.RL.1.1,2,3,5,7; RI.1.1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9; W.1.2,3; SL.1.1,2; L.1.1,2,4; MATH 1.OA.3; 1.MD.4
2nd grade: ELA.RL.2.1,3,5,6,7; RI.2.1,2,3,4,6,8,9; W.2.1,2,3; SL.2.1,2,5; L.2.1,2,3,4; MATH 2.OA.1 3rd grade: ELA.RL.3.1,3,4,7; RI.3.1,2,3,4,6,7; W.3.1,2,3,4,7,8; SL.3.1,2,3,4,5; L.3.1,2,3,4; MATH 3.OA.1; 3.MD.2
4th grade: ELA.RL.4.1,2,3,4,6; RI.4.1,2,3,4; W.4.1,2,3,4,7; SL.4.1,2,5; L.4.1,2,3,4; MATH 4.OA.1,5

Fur, Feather, Fin--All of Us Are Kin

Title: Fur, Feather, Fin--All of Us Are Kin
Author: Diane Lang
Illustrator: Stephanie Laberis
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Copyright: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1481447096
Age Range: 3-8
Reading Level: AD590L
Cost: $17.99
Pages: 48


SUMMARY: This cleverly written explanatory informational title takes the reader on a journey through the various species on Earth and how we are all connected "kin." Lang uses rhyming language to describe mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, arthropods, water dwellers, and even explains detritivores.  The illustrator beautifully illustrates the metamorphosis of salamanders, frogs, and newts.  Learn exactly what makes a reptile different from an amphibian, and a bird from a fish.

CRITIQUE: It's not just the rhyming verse that is spot on, but the delightful illustrations that perfectly accompany the words.  The title tastefully shows mammals nursing their young, and shows the diversity of human families as well.  The variety of animals shown is also extensive.  Of course every creature cannot be included, but the inclusion of detritivores was a nice surprise.  With lines like "detritivores, so oft forgotten, dine on things both dead and rotten," explores worms and bugs that live in the damp and dark.  While this title has not officially won any awards yet, it was just published in May, it did receive a starred review from Kirkus.  Kirkus stated:

"Major similarities and differences among six classes of animals—and two additional animal categories—are explained with the aid of simple rhymes and sophisticated art.

A text that aspires to reveal nature facts using rhythm and rhyme can easily fall into pitfalls—sometimes sacrificing meaning for good scansion or vice versa. Amazingly, this book manages to convey elemental facts about animals with verse that both scans and informs."

FEATURES INCLUDED: At the very end of the book the author provides information answering the following questions: What Does that mean? How are we the Same? How are we different, We can help animals right now! How? Want to learn more? The author recommends two books: Wildlife of the World (DK Publishing, 2015) and Animal! (DK Publishing, 2016).  The author also lists animal websites as well as her own which includes activities to download: dianelang.net

EXAMPLES:

The book begins with a two page spread showing children exploring a tide pool and introduces the kin theme, "we're all linked in families."

Here the illustrator shows diversity with both families and culture showing that we are mammals too just like whales, bears, and cats shown on the previous page.

Here you begin to see what makes the amphibian babies and their eggs different from other animals.  Again a lovely two-page spread is presented.  Each new category of animals is labeled in bold before the rhyme begins.

COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

School Library Journal recommends pairing Grandmother Fish: A Child's First Book of Evolution with Fur, Feather, Fin. Grandma Fish describes the history of life on the planet and how we are all connected.  Perform the actions along with the various animal kingdoms described in the book.  The title could be used as a companion piece.


Booklist recommends pairing with Jenkins & Page's Creature Features . This title explores what makes various animals features unique and helps them adapt to their environments.  This title is not as much of a comparison, but rather complements by digging deeper into what various animals eat and where they live and why they may look strange.



Fur, Feather, Fin provides a rhyming overview of the various animal kingdoms, but does not dig deep into the myriads of animals in those kingdoms.  The First Animal Encyclopedia would provide the details.  This encyclopedia is age appropriate and uses actual photographs to explore the various animal kingdoms.  Again this title would make a nice companion.




SUGGESTED USES: Fur, Feather, Fin would definitely be an excellent read-a-loud to the class to prompt animal discussions.  In Indiana first graders are asked to describe the unique and commonalities organisms have.  In second grade students learn about the variations in physical features living organisms have.  In third grade students explore how animals internal and external structures support survival, etc. This title discusses what makes the various living creatures alike and different.  After reading this title I would have my students each choose a kingdom/type of animal and research in-depth the various characteristics (habitat, foods, prey, babies) this kingdom has. The following Indiana State Standards could be addressed using this book:

1.LS.1 Develop representations to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
1.LS.3 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
1.LS.4 Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live
2.LS.2 Compare and contrast details of body plans and structures within the life cycles of plants and animals.
2.LS.3 Classify living organisms according to variations in specific physical features (i.e. body coverings, appendages) and describe how those features may provide an advantage for survival in different environments
3.LS.1 Analyze evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
3.LS.3 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

ALL THAT TRASH: The Story of the 1987 Garbage Barge and Our Problem with Stuff

Title: ALL THAT TRASH: The Story of the 1987 Garbage Barge and Our Problem with Stuff
Author: Meghan McCarthy
Publisher: A Paula Wiseman Book-Simon & Schuster
Copyright: February 27, 2018  
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7752-9
Age Range: 4-8 (publisher's note)
Reading Level: Accelerated Reader- IL: LG, BL: 5, AR Pts: 0.5 
Cost: $17.99
Pages: 48




SUMMARY: Award winning author/illustrator of Earmuff's for Everyone, Meghan McCarthy, is back with a stinky true story of the garbage barge that started an environmental movement.  If you were born after 1987 you may have never heard of Mobro 4000 the garbage barge carrying 3,186 tons of trash from New York.  "Stinky, smelly, and no one wanted it." This is the premise for the true story about a full garbage barge that was turned away from each port it stopped at whether North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and even Mexico.  The problem began when Lowell Harrelson got wind, perhaps a little stinky, that a New York landfill was almost out of room. Harrelson agreed to take the garbage with the idea of harnessing energy from the methane gas produced from decomposing trash.  The problem was everyone thought the barge was an environmental hazard and did not want it to make land.  For months the barge traveled out at sea till finally a judge ordered the trash to be burned.  McCarthy uses painted illustrations and narrative format to guide the reader through the barge's journey.  The story includes quotes from the many people involved in the fiasco and a brief nod to Greenpeace.  The book takes a lighthearted approach with the content and illustrations.  One always needs reminders of where our trash really goes, and what we can do about it.

CRITIQUE:  While this is not the first children's book to take on the "Garbage Barge" story, it does take a different approach utilizing direct quotes and provides extensive background information. The title definitely stands out and draws the reader in.  The comical caricatures keep the story fresh and appealing. This book has not won any official awards, but drew a starred review from the School Library Journal. I do agree with Publisher's Weekly review stating "the discussion of America's problem with stuff, as referenced in the subtitle, is relegated to the extensive back matter."  While I do appreciate the extensive back matter at the end of the book it would have been nice to address our problem with stuff in the story narration.  This book would be an excellent resource for teachers and parents who want children to understand where trash goes and why too much of it is a problem.

“The year was 1987 and a ship full of trash was about to become famous…The narrative is immensely readable…A fresh take on a story of old garbage guaranteed to spark conversations and a desire for actions among students. Highly recommended.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

FEATURES INCLUDED:  Photos of the Break of Dawn (tugboat) and barge, Garbage Barge Facts, Recycling Facts, Garbage Facts, Ocean Garbage Facts, photo examples of recycled materials, and Select Bibliography appear at the end of the story.  For a complete bibliography and further information you can visit: meghan-mccarthy.com/allthattrash.html

EXAMPLES:

 Here you can see McCarthy's charming cartoon like illustrations with all things 1980's.  Children will get a kick out of seeing old boom boxes, a Walkman, old TV, and vintage toys.  Limited words on the pages also keeps the story short and just the facts.

 "NEXT TIME...TRY RECYCLING" is the ultimate takeaway from the book.  McCarthy utilizes two page spreads routinely to beautifully illustrate this stinky tale.

At the end of the book McCarthy provides background information from the tug boat captain Duffy St. Pierre as well as facts about the barge, recycling, garbage, and ocean garbage.









COMPARISONS/RECOMMENDED READING:

Jonah Winter and Red Nose Studio's Here Comes The Garbage Barge , a New York Times Best Illustrated book of 2010, Huffington Post Best Book of the Year, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, covers the same topic as All That Trash. The illustrations are amazing; however, the book is considered "mostly true," and does not provide extensive historical background the book above does.  It also took some liberties when retelling the tale.  Using both books could be beneficial.



Trash Talk: Moving Toward a Zero Waste World discusses what we can do with all the trash we generate daily.  This book would make a nice companion story in discussing ways landfills have been used in the past, and what ways people around the globe are dealing with waste looking towards the future.




Travel along with Bag in the Wind as a plastic bag blows away from a landfill and is reused time and again. This environmental story would pair nicely with All That Trash as a companion read in discussing how items can be reused.




SUGGESTED USES: All That Trash would be an excellent resource for schools when teaching about recycling, environmental conservation, and sparking discussions on lifestyle changes.  If I was still teaching science I would have my students track where their current trash goes, what landfills are in the area, and discuss ways they could reduce their impact on the environment.

This book would aid in teaching the following Indiana State Standards:
K.ESS.4 Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
1.ESS.4 Develop solutions that could be implemented to reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
4.ESS.4 Develop solutions that could be implemented to reduce the impact of humans on the natural environment and the natural environment on humans.
5.ESS.3 Investigate ways individual communities within the United States protect the Earth's resources and environment.