Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belphré

Title:  Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belphré

Author:  Anika Aldamuy Denise

Illustrator:   Paola Escobar

Target Ages:  4 and up

Genre:  Picture Book Biography

Publisher Summary: 

Follow la vida y el legado of Pura Belphré, the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City.  When she came to America in 1921, Pura carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland.  Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistance, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land.  Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape as generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura’s legacy. 

First Lines:

It is 1921.

Pura Teresa Belphré leaves her home in San Juan

for a visit to Nueva York.

Words travel with her:

stories her abuela taught her.

Cuentos folklóricos Pura retold in the shade of a tamarind tree,

in Puerto Rico.

Memorable Moment:

The seeds she has planted,

the roots that grew shoots into

the open air of possibility,

have become a lush landscape

into which she steps, as though she has never left.

Evaluation:

Pura Belphré story is inspirational.  As an immigrant, she finds her own version of the American dream.  As a storyteller and writer, she encourages others to read, to imagine, and to soar.  As a woman, she is devoted to her husband and her passion. People of all ages will be moved by her story.

As a picture book biography, Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belphré is exemplary.  Author Anika Aldamuy Denise's use of language and her story telling skills capture the imagination.  At no time did I feel I was reading a non-fiction biography.  Instead, I felt I was traveling along on Pura’s captivating journey. 

Paola Escobar’s illustrations are stunning. The colors, the energy, the details are perfect in every way. 

If you read one picture book biography, make it this one! 

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Literature:  Read Puerto Rican folktales from an anthology or picture book retellings.
• Figurative Language: Teach or review what a metaphor is. Discuss how the writer uses the extended metaphor of plants/planting.  Why do you think the author used that metaphor?  How does it add to the story?  What other metaphors might have worked?
• Dramatic Play:  Put on a puppet show using one of the Puerto Rican folktales or ones the children are familiar with.  
• Context Clues:  Use context clues to figure out the meaning of Spanish words used in place of English words.

For more great picture book suggestions, head over for the Perfect Picture Book Link Up.

Visit Kid Lit Frenzy for more Non-Fiction selections. 

The Man Who Loved Libraries (Andrew Larsen)

Title:  The Man Who Loved Libraries: The Story of Andrew Carnegie

Author:  Andrew Larsen

Illustrator:  Katty Maurey

Target Ages:  5 and up

Genre:  Picture Book Biography

Publisher Summary: 

When you open the door to a library, a world of opportunity awaits.

No one believed this more than Andrew Carnegie.

Andrew Carnegie came to America as a poor, young immigrant.  He worked hard and made the most of his opportunities.  Eventually, he created a steel empire that helped shape modern America.  This made Carnegies a very rich man.  But he never forgot the important role a library played in his success.  Carnegie used his wealth to build public libraries around the world in hopes they’d help others achieve their dreams.

First Lines:

Andrew Carnegie was born in a tiny stone cottage in a small Scottish village.  A large wooden loom took up most of the ground floor.  Andrew and his family lived, ate, and slept upstairs in the attic. 

Evaluation:

Before reading this book, I was familiar with Andrew Carnegie, but I forgot most of what I learned in history class.  This book, though, gave me a deep appreciate for his many contributions to the world—especially in the creation of libraries.  

With is engaging storytelling, author Andrew Larsen focuses on three main parts of Carnegie’s life. 

First, readers are introduced to his childhood.  His parents struggled to make ends meet.  Eventually, they came to America for a chance at a better life.  Andrew worked hard in school and in his factory work.  Despite his humble beginnings and limited educational opportunities, his work ethic and innovative thinking helped him succeed.  His early life demonstrates that success is possible no matter what early opportunities a person is given. 

Next, he did not waste his earnings on materialistic and wasteful items.  Instead, he invested his money.  Small investments led to bigger ones until he made millions.  He reinvested that money into businesses, like steel.   Carnegie ended up with so much money that he did not know what to do with it all.  His early adult life illustrates the importance of saving and investing. 

Finally, he believed his riches were for sharing.  This conviction prompted him to build over 3,500 libraries worldwide.  All of his libraries provided books free of charge to community members.  Carnegie wanted all people to have the opportunity to learn and to better themselves.  He knew literacy was the way to do so.   His legacy is the importance of giving back to the community. 

Each part of his story is illuminated further with Katty Maurey’s illustrations.  She uses a neutral pallet with splashes of dusty blue, deep red, and muted yellow.  The colors further give his life a humble but dignified tone. 

The Man Who Loved Libraries:  The Story of Andrew Carnegie is an inspiring biography of a man who proved the sky is the limit—no matter what your background or privilege. 

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Writing:  Encourage students to think about how they would use their money to give back to the community if they became rich.  Younger students can fill out a simple sentence:   “If I were rich, I would use my money to ________.” Older ones can write a paragraph. 
• Math:  Either individually or in small groups, have students pick a stock.  There are many they will be familiar with like Disney, Apple, and Facebook.  The class or family can pretend to buy a set number of shares, such as 10 or 100.  Chart the stock’s progress for a month or more.  How much money did each stock earn?  Give a reward to the winning team or to the top 3 students.   
• History:  Learn about other important contributions Carnegie made like Carnegie Hall and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Connect this story to a study of the Industrial Revolution. 
• Compare and Contrast:  Possible areas to compare and contrast—school then vs. now, teen life then vs. now, and educational opportunities then vs. now.
• Geography:  Identify on a map the places listed where Carnegie opened libraries. 
• Character:  Identify and discuss habits that helped him become successful—reading, work ethic, innovative ideas, saving and investing, and so forth.
• Reading Comprehension:  Use this Reading Guide for The Man Who Loved Libraries for question ideas.

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

Growing Up Pedro (Matt Tavares)

Title:  Growing Up Pedro

Author:  Matt Tavares

Illustrator:  Matt Tavares

Summary from the Publisher

Before Pedro Martinez pitched the Red Sox to a World Series championship, before he was named to the All-Star team eight times, before he won the Cy Young three times, he was a kid from a place called Manoguayabo in the Dominican Republic. Pedro loved baseball more than anything, and his older brother Ramon was the best pitcher he’d ever seen. He’d dream of the day he and his brother could play together in the major leagues—and here, Matt Tavares tells the story of how that dream came true.

Just the Beginning

“One sunny day in the village of Manoguayobo, Pedro Martinez sits in the shade and watches the older boys play. He wants to play too.”

Evaluation

Matt Tavares presents a compelling narrative about Pedro Martinez’s rise to baseball stardom. He begins with Pedro’s watching his brother, Ramon, play ball in their small village. Stars are in his eyes as he admires Ramon’s pitching skills.  His brother mentors him while they are growing up and even after he leaves to play professional ball. Immediately, Tavares sets the heart of the story not about baseball, but about the relationship and mentorship of the two brothers.

Years after his brother is drafted into the Major League, Pedro follows. Whenever he takes the mound, “he is a lion fighting for his food.” It is an apt description because he plays every game with everything he has in him. He remains determined and humble even when he reaches super stardom. 

Pedro has set backs and obstacles, but he always perseveres.  As Pedro succeeds, his countrymen in the Dominican Republic cheer along and celebrate with him, including his team’s experience in the American League Championship Series. 

The book ends where it begins—with the two brothers practicing back home in their village.  Pedro and Ramon never lose touch with what is important—family and community. Parents and educators can use the book to discuss important character qualities as well as to provide role models for young people. 

Brilliant watercolor illustrations round out this stunning oversized picture book, perfect for reading out loud in a classroom or cuddling up on the couch before bed. I recommend Growing Up Pedro for ages 5 and up.

I'm New Here (Anne Sibley O’Brien)

Title:  I’m New Here

Author & Illustrator:  Anne Sibley O’Brien

Summary From the Book Jacket:

At their new school everything is different…Back in Guatemala, Maria knew the language.  Back in Korea, Jin could read and write.  Back in Somalia, Fatimah felt like she fit in.  Now, in the United States, there are new words and new ways.  But with a little support—and a lot of courage—Maria, Jin, and Fatimah begin to find their way.

Preview of the Text:

“Back home I knew the language.

My friends and I talked all day long.

Our voices flowed like water and flew between us like birds.”

Evaluation:

Three new students—Maria, Jin, and Fatimah—are introduced to the class.  Each child represents a different cultural background, yet their thoughts and feelings have many similarities.  They are shown in their home culture on one page while the corresponding page illustrates how the new culture seems strange to them.  The author does an excellent job with both the illustrations and words showing the contrast.  For instance, Maria is playing soccer while smiling and talking with her friends in her home culture.  She is the same size as the other children.  On the other page, she is small and alone.  She is looking and listening to other children with lots of unfamiliar sounds going on.  It is large and chaotic.

When the immigrant children first arrive, they feel alone, confused, and sad.  However, the more they work at learning to speak, to write, and to understand the culture, the more they begin to fit in.  I like how the author encourages their active efforts to assimilate. The American children also play a vital part.  They are helpful, encouraging, and accepting.  The characters are excellent models for young children. 

The foreign students find they have a place in their new school and new home country.  I love how the book ends:  “Here there are new beginnings.  Here there is a place for me.  Here is a new home.”  Lively pictures of the children integrating as well as enjoying their new school and friends accompany each sentence. However, the parts that make them unique also continue to thrive—Maria loves to play soccer. Jin loves stories.  Fatimah loves drawing.  The story celebrates what makes people unique and what makes them the same. 

This book is an excellent opportunity to build empathy and compassion because children learn what it is like to come into a new cultural.  The story is an encouragement to new immigrant students who are trying to figure out how to acclimate.  The author ends by giving an important resource for educators and parents.  It is a website whose focus is on children’s books and reading projects that build bridges between new arrivals and long term communities.  Visit I’M Your Neighbor Books for more book suggestions and articles on this topic. 

I’m New Here is an essential book for libraries and classrooms.  I highly recommend it for ages 3-9. 

Other Teaching Ideas

• Similes:  Discuss the various similes used in the story.  Students can write their own similes about how they think they would feel going into a new culture and listening to a foreign language. 
• Social Students:  Pick one or more cultures of students in the class or people in the community to learn more about.  Discuss ways to make people of that culture feel more welcome. 
• Welcome Kit and Activities designed to go with the book.