The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes (Julia Finley Mosca)

Title:  The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes:  The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath

Author: Julia Finley Mosca

Illustrator: Daniel Rieley

Target Ages:  5 and up

Genre:  Picture Book Biography

Publisher Summary: 

Meet Dr. Patricia Bath—the scientist who never lost sight of her dreams!  As a girl coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement, Patricia Bath made it her mission to become a doctor.  When obstacles like racism, poverty, and sexism threated this goal, she persevered—brightening the world with a game-changing treatment for blindness. 

First Lines:

If you like to think BIG,

But some say you’re too small,

or they say you’re too young

or too slow or too tall…

Pay no mind to their doubts,

and just follow the path

of one AWESOME inventor,

PATRICIA E. BATH!

Memorable Moment:

So, if helping the world

seems too hard, you are wrong.

If some say you can’t do it,

don’t listen.  Be STRONG.

Like Patricia, stay FOCUSED.

Push FORWARD. Shine BRIGHT.

And you’ll find all your DREAMS

will be well within SIGHT.

Evaluation:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  There is so much about Dr. Bath’s life that is inspirational.  She had to overcome difficulties to get an education and dealt with racism and sexism early in her career. The narrative is more focused on what she did to overcome those negative people and social constraints than the actual incidents themselves, which is empowering.    

There are several pages devoted to her childhood that give an nice picture of the influences in her from her parents to her brothers to her first science kit.  Her parents instill some vital lessons that parent and teacher readers will want to highlight, explore, and expand on. 

Another admirable character trait is her never-ending quest to learn and to advance in her field.  Her post-school educational pursuits are what led to eye treatment advancements that have helped millions around the world. 

The story keeps a steady pace, focusing on the highlights of her career.  The information is the right balance of being informative without being overwhelming.  However, the author provides plenty of additional information for teachers and parents to share with students, including Fun Facts and Tidbits from the Author’s Chat with Patricia, Timeline of Dr. Bath’s life, and About Dr. Patricia Bath section.

YouTube has a short, animated video about Dr. Bath in her own words.

Here is a Reading Guide for the book.  

Check out other women in STEM biographies. 

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Science: Learn about the parts of the eye—pupil, cornea, lens, and so forth—what the parts do, and how to keep eyes healthy.  To spark of love of science, order a science kit for the family or plan some science experiments in class. 
• Senses:  Read this biography while studying the 5 senses.  Some fun five senses activity ideas are HERE. 
• Time Line:  The book includes a timeline of Dr. Bath’s life.  Use this organizer in a history unit or to outline the life of another famous scientist.  Another possible way to apply it is to have student create a timeline for their future.  What do they hope to accomplish and by what age?  This ties in nicely with math as well since they have to calculate the year they will be the target age for each accomplishments. 
• Geography:  Identify the places on the map that Dr. Bath lived or traveled to for her work, such as California, New York, and Paris.
• Community Helpers:  Connect this book with a unit on community helpers for younger children.  Older students can learn more about the process of becoming a doctor and their important contribution to the community.
• Letter Writing:  Write a letter to Dr. Bath.  Tell her about what you enjoyed most about her story or what inspired you from her life story. 
• Writing—Personal:  Dr. Bath accomplished many “firsts.”  Students can write about what they want to be the first to do or to discover.  Younger students can fill in a simple sentence like:  “I want to be the first to ______.” Older students can write more, depending on age and ability.
• Writing—Argument:  Pick one of the lessons her parents taught her (“We’re equal—all genders, all shades.”  “Nothing’s off limits—no job, dream, or role.”  “Education is the key to success.”).  Use it as a prompt for students to write an argument, such as arguing why the quote is true or how it was the lesson that impacted her life most (based on the evidence in the story). 
• Poetry:  The story is written in poetic form.  Possible connections can be anywhere from identifying rhyming words to students writing their own poetic lines.  Poems can be about Dr. Bath or about their own goals for the future.  Assign a specific poetic form or allow them to write in free verse.

Historical Connections:

Civil Rights Movement

For more great picture book recommendations, visit the Perfect Picture Book Friday Round Up.

Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Jonah Winter)

Title:  Lillian’s Right to Vote:  A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Author:  Jonah Winter

Illustrator:  Shane W. Evans

Target Ages:  5 and up

Genre:  Narrative Non-Fiction Picture Book

Publisher Summary: 

Celebrate the momentous law enacted fifty years ago—the voting rights act of 1965—with this powerful and moving picture book.

What if you had to pass a test or answer impossible questions like “how many bubbles are in a bar of soap?” before you were allowed to vote?

Or imagine being forced to pay a special tax before you could cast your ballot.

And how would it feel to be chased by an angry mob—by people in your own town—just for trying to vote?

This is the story of Lillian’s family—and so many other African Americans—who, after generations of discrimination, triumphed over injustice thanks to a law that protected every American’s right to vote.

First Lines:

A very old woman stands at the bottom of a very steep hill.  It’s Voting Day.  She’s an American, and by God, she is going to vote.  Lillian is her name. 

It’s a long haul up that steep hill.  It’s a long haul when you’ve been alive for a hundred years. It’s a long haul when you’ve lived the life that Lillian has—and walked so far in her shoes.  When Lillian looks up, it’s more than blue sky she sees.  She sees history. 

Historical References and Story Overview

As Lillian walks up a steep hill to vote, she recalls the struggle her family went through before African-Americans finally had the right and freedom to vote.  Though the story is specific to her personal and familial experience, it parallels the trials millions endured.

It begins with her great great grandparents standing on the slave block being sold in front of the courthouse she is walking toward.  Next, her great-grandpa Edmund is a slave picking cotton from dawn to dusk.  He does not have the right to vote or to do much of anything else until after the Civil War and the 15^th Amendment is passed—giving all male citizens the right to vote regardless of race or previous condition of servitude.  With pride, Edmond votes in his first election.

Just 20 years later, her grandpa Isaac is prevented from voting due to a poll tax.  Lillian, also, recalls her uncle Levi who is forced to take a “test” with ridiculous questions like how many bubbles are in a bar of soap or what are the names of all 67 state judges.  He is turned away because he fails to answer such questions. 

She sees a brave young woman with her family trying to register after the 19^th Amendment is passed.  They are chased away by an angry crowd. Another time, she is turned away because she cannot write down on a blank sheet of paper a section of the Constitution.  The woman in this memory is Lillian, herself. 

A funeral procession is shown for a man who dies in a peaceful protest as he seeks justice—and the right to vote.  Then, she remembers the civil rights protesters led by Martin Luther King, Jr. as they march and pray and dream of justice.

Finally, Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  His famous words are memorialized, “Every American citizen must have equal right to vote…there is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right.”

Evaluation:

I could not wait to register to vote! As soon as I turned eighteen, I did. I was away at college when the next presidential election came around, but I voted via absentee ballot. I don’t recall my family talking much about politics or voting.  Nevertheless, I knew it was vital to register, to stay informed, and to vote.

However, only between 50-60% of the eligible voters exercise this vital civic duty and inalienable right—a right that millions fought and died for.  During her walk Lillian sees a young man and asks if he is going to vote.  He says, “Yes, ma’am.”  She tells him, “You better.”  Throughout the story, Lillian exemplifies a strong sense of dignity and pride at being able to vote, which will resonate with people of all ages as they learn the immense hardships she endured for that freedom.

Framing the story around both Lillian’s present day voting act and her journey up a hill is an effective technique.  Despite her advanced age and the physical hardship of the climb, she does not quit—even when the hill gets steeper.  At one point, she looks up to the top of the hill and wonders if she will make it.  As she becomes weary from the climb, she keeps going “footstep by footstep.” Lillian epitomizes perseverance and strength to not allow challenges to deter her. 

Furthermore, I love the metaphor of the climb.  On a literal level she is climbing to the top of the hill to vote. On a metaphorical one, it demonstrates how African Americans like her have had an uphill battle to secure this fundamental right.

One of the most powerful contrasts is between the singing birds and smiling people of the present and the burning cross and angry mobs of the past.  In another instance, the metaphors of light (sun) and darkness are used.  These and other images help build an emotional appeal for participating in this vital community act. 

The illustrations focus on Lillian and her visions of the past, depicted as ghost-like figures—struggling and fighting for justice.  She realizes that because of all the sacrifice of the men and women before her, it is her duty to vote and to let her voice be heard. She thinks to herself, As long as I still have a pulse, I am going to vote.

I highly recommend Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights At of 1965.  This powerful and poignant story provides vital context and history in the struggle for the right to vote.

A VERY Biased Author's Note

Unfortunately, the author adds historically biased and untrue information as a resource for educators and parents in the author’s note.  He moves from historical remembrance to propaganda device.

First, Winter states that white voters in the south left the Democratic Party for the Republican Party due to racism.  This Southern Strategy myth is just that, a myth.  By including it in his book, he is not so subtly stating:  Republicans are racist.  Watch HERE for a short video about on this myth (includes a link under the video of facts and sources).  

Second, the author mixes facts with politics when discussing voter suppression.  No one denies that the awful literacy tests and unfair poll taxes that some politicians in southern Democratic strongholds used for the purpose of denying the vote to African-Americans were unjust. However, Winter uses the issue as a springboard to undermine the voter ID issue. He states that voter ID laws are meant to “deny many Americans a basic right—a right for which so many courageous people fought and died.”  This emotionally manipulative argument equates the aforementioned tests and taxes with the voter ID requirements conservatives advocate for today. The evidence used is the difficulty that “the poor and the elderly” suffer to get an ID.  He encourages “a new generation” to “rise and continue” the fight against this unfair practice. 

Once again Winter depicts Republicans as racist, in this case, for wanting a voter ID law. The only reason anyone wants this law is to prevent voter fraud.  Everything from flying on a plane to cashing a check requires an ID.  No one claims the airline or the bank is attempting suppression by requiring an ID. In addition, I do not know anyone—Republican or Democrat—who would not help a poor or elderly person get a needed ID.  Nor are there any groups or government entities standing in the way of the poor and elderly getting an ID. In conclusion, the voter ID movement of today has no connection to the Jim Crow Laws of the past.

What is more unfair—people voting illegally or everyone being provided with an ID and an opportunity to vote once? 

Both parties want fair elections. Both parties want equality and justice. Painting one party as racist monsters standing in the way of those things undermines an otherwise worthwhile picture book. 

Emmanuel’s Dream (Laurie Ann Thompson)

Title:  Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

Author:  Laurie Ann Thompson

Illustrator:  Sean Qualls

Target Ages:  5 and up

Genre:  Picture Book Biography

Publisher Summary:

Here is the inspiring true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who cycled an incredible four hundred miles across Ghana—with only one strong leg—to spread his powerful message:  disability does not mean inability.

First Lines:   

In Ghana, West Africa,

a baby was born:

Two bright eyes blinked in the light,

two tiny fists opened and closed,

but only one strong leg kicked.

Best Lines: 

But Emmanuel’s success goes even further than that.

He proved that one leg is enough to do great things—

and one person is enough to change the world.

Evaluation:

I have seen multiple blogs and sites give this book rave reviews for well over a year. As a result, I was so excited when my local library finally ordered a copy.  To say this biography is inspirational is an understatement! 

The word going through my head repeatedly is “Wow!”  I will admit.  I am a sucker for stories about people who overcome great odds and obstacles to succeed.  This story could not have come at a better time for me, having just failed at something I put my heart and soul into. I have been wondering…do I continue to pursue that path?  Are the obstacles worth it?  Reading Emmanuel’s story though puts life in perspective. 

He is born with a disability in a country where such people are relegated to beggars their whole lives.  He is unwilling to settle for what is expected.  Instead, he hops—literally—two miles everyday back and forth to school to get an education. He does chores like fetch water and pick coconuts. To make friends, he buys the one thing none of his classmates have--a soccer ball.  Emmanuel learns to play the game on crutches.  When his mother falls ill, he moves alone (at the age of 13) to a city to find work in order to send money home. 

What is truly amazing is his determination not just to ride a bike with only one leg, but also to ride across the country! He uses this event and others to advocate for people with disabilities.  According to the Author’s Notes, his work has helped countless disabled people to gain equal status and opportunities in Ghana. 

The story is well-written and engaging.  The illustrations work perfectly with the text and narrative. Mostly importantly, Emmanuel's life reminds us that all things are possible when we face challenges and obstacles with perseverance and hard work. For all those reasons, Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah is a perfect picture book. 

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

Teacher’s Guide
Interactive Read Aloud Template

           Visit HERE for more Perfect Picture Book Recommendations.

Freedom Summer (Deborah Wiles)

Title:  Freedom Summer

Author:  Deborah Wiles

Illustrator:  Jerome Lagarrigue

Target Ages:  4-8

First Lines:  “John Henry Waddell is my best friend.  His mama works for my mama.  Her name is Annie Mae.  Every morning at eight o’clock Annie Mae steps off the country bus and walks up the long hill to my house.  If it’s summer, John Henry is step-step-stepping-it right beside her.”

Publisher Summary:  “Joe and John Henry are a lot alike.  They both like shooting marbles, they both want to be firemen, and they both love to swim.  But there’s one important way they’re different:  Joe is white and John Henry is black, and in the South in 1964, that means John Henry isn’t allow to do everything his best friend is. Then a law is passed that forbids segregation and opens the town pool to everyone. Joe and John Henry are so excited they race each other there…only to discover that it takes more than a new law to change people’s hearts.”

Evaluation: 

I was touch immediately by this realistic fiction picture book inspired by the author’s experience growing up in the South during the tumultuous 1960’s. The focus is on a sweet friendship between John Henry (African-American) and Joe (Caucasian-American). The racially tense backdrop lurks and haunts in the understated text and illustrations. This writing technique is significant though.  To the boys, race does not matter. They see each other as people and, more importantly, as friends and equals. As the story moves toward the climax though, the social inequalities and injustices in the outside world become more apparent.

The first hint is when they go to Mr. Mason’s general store. John Henry quietly waits outside while Joe buys ice pops for them.  To a young reader, it may not be noticeable.  Similarly, the boys function this way because it is just expected. They do not put much thought into it. 

During dinner one night Joe’s father announces, “The town pool opens tomorrow to everybody under the sun, no matter what color.”  John Henry’s mother adds, “It’s the way it’s going to be now—Everybody.”  Of course, the boys are thrilled! 

The next morning they run to be the first ones there.  To their (and the reader’s) great disappointment, some men are filling the pool in with asphalt!  In this climatic moment, John Henry voices his heartbreak to his friend. Wiles does an excellent job balancing showing the boys’ frustration at the prejudice of some while not sounding preachy or didactic about it.  It allows the reader to feel and sympathize in a genuine way.

Despite the setback, the boys show their solidarity as they go into Mr. Mason’s store for ice pops, walking “through the front door together.”  Their arms are around each other as the move toward the future.  This final image and sentence is so poignant.  There is a strong sense of hope for the future—both in individual relations between races as well as for society as a whole. 

Freedom Summer is a beautiful story of friendship, the impact prejudice, and the importance racial equality.

Awards:  Coretta Scott King Award; Ezra Jack Keats Book Award

Companion Book:  I also read Jacqueline Woodson’s The Other Side which would be a perfect companion book with Freedom Summer.  Two young girls live side by side (one African-American and the other Caucasion), but with a fence between their properties. They are both instructed not to go to the other side of the fence. One day, they meet each other ON the fence, beginning a sweet friendship between them and a step toward greater community.

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

Teacher Lesson Plan: Let Freedom Ring

Freedom Summer Lesson Plan 

A Guide to Teaching and Talking About the Civil Rights Movement

Visualization Activity

Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Unit

Discussion Questions for the Book

For other Perfect Picture Books, visit Susanna Hill's blog.