Bartali's Bicycle

The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy's Secret Hero

Quill Tree Books

(HarperCollins Publishers)

(pub. 2.23.2021) 

40 pages

A True Tale with

A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Megan Hoyt
       and illustrator: Iacopo Bruno

C haracter: Gino Bartali

O verview:

       

    "Gino Bartali pedaled across Italy for years, winning one cycling race after another, including the 1938 Tour de France. Gino became an international sports hero! But the next year, World War II began, and it changed everything. Soldiers marched into Italy. Tanks rolled down the cobbled streets of Florence. And powerful leaders declared that Jewish people should be arrested.

     To the entire world, Gino Bartali was merely a champion cyclist. But Gino’s greatest achievement was something he never told a soul—that he secretly worked with the Italian resistance to save hundreds of Jewish men, women, and children, and others, from certain death, using the one thing no authority would question: his bicycle."

T antalizing taste: 

     "He knocked on doors and delivered small packages. With a quick nod, he was off again, leaving startled families to wonder: Was that the famous Tour de France winner, Gino Bartali? Was he now a secret courier for the resistance?

     By the time they realized who he was, Gino was speeding toward the next town." 

 And something more:  In her Author's Note, Megan Hoyt explains that "when DELASEM (Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants) leader Giorgio Nissim died, his sons found diaries filled with information about Gino Bartali's rescue efforts. Without these diaries, the world may never have known about Gino's work. And there is a reason for that. Gino did not want anyone to know.

     'Those who have suffered in their soul, in their heart, in their spirit, in their mind, for their loved ones are the real heroes,' Gino said. 'I am just a cyclist.'"

Hard Work, But It's Worth It

The Life of Jimmy Carter

Balzer + Bray

(HarperCollins)
(pub. 1.28.2020) 
40 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Bethany Hegedus
       and illustrator:  Kyung Eun Han

 
C haracter: Jimmy Carter

O verview: 
     "Even before Jimmy Carter became president, he knew the value of hard work. Living on his family's peanut farm, Jimmy saw how hard work yielded strong results. At least it did for some people. But growing up in the segregated South, Jimmy also saw firsthand how white people and black people were not treated equally. None of it was right. None of it was fair.

     So Jimmy created a list of Good Mental Habits to help him navigate life's challenges. The list guided his thoughts and actions and helped him fight for change, whether working with civil rights leaders to end racial discrimination in his home state of Georgia, helping to negotiate peace in the Middle East,or building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity. 

     From the statehouse to the White House and beyond, Jimmy has worked to make change for all people, devoting decades to public service and becoming one of the most respected humanitarians of our time. It's hard work, but it's worth it." 

T antalizing taste: 
     "During the Great Depression, times were tough. But farm life had always been tough. There was work from sunup to sunset, no matter the time of year. From the very start, James Earl Carter Jr. - Jimmy - and hard work were fast friends."

And something more:  Betheny Hegedus explains her inspiration for writing this book in her Author's Note: "Now in his nineties [95 on October 1, 2019], Carter continues to heed the words he wrote in the eighth grade, in a list of Good Mental Habits he took down in a  notebook: to "give up worry and anger; hatred and envy" and to "neither fear nor be ashamed of anything that is honest and purposeful."
     Jimmy Carter is a hero of mine. I hope he is now one of yours, too."

It Began With a Page

How Gyo Fujikawa
Drew the Way

Harper Collins Publishers
(pub. 10.8.2019) 
48 pages

A True Tale with

A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Kyo Maclear
and illustrator:  Julie Morstad

 
C haracter: Gyo Fujikawa

O verview: 
     "From the time she was a little girl, Gyo Fujikawa drew pictures.
     Gyo's parents had come to California from Japan looking for a better life, but sometimes Gyo felt invisible. When high school came, Gyo's teachers recognized her gift for creating beautiful art and got behind her. Art became her profession, and now her drawings were in magazines and store window displays.
     Eventually, Gyo was asked to illustrate picture books for children. She envisioned a diverse cast of characters, explaining that she wanted 'an international set of babies...' in the pages of books.
     Had it ever been done before?
     Not yet.
     Her Babies, published in 1963, welcomed children of all colors into the pages of a picture book for the first time, paving the way for publishers, teachers, readers, and future writers to imagine a more inclusive world...

T antalizing taste: 
     "Babies! Chubby-cheeked, squat-legged, bouncy-bottomed babies. Naughty-nice, oh-so-busy, toddle-crawling babies.
 
      But the publisher said no.

     No to mixing white babies and black babies. It was not done in early 1960s America, a country with laws that separated people by skin color.

     But Gyo would not budge.

     She closed her eyes and remembered all the times she had felt unseen and unwelcome.

     She looked the publisher in the eye and said, 'It shouldn't be that way. Not out there in the streets. Not here on this page. We need to break the rules."

And something more: "A note from the author and illustrator" explains that "Gyo inherited a passion for social justice and labor rights from her poet mother, Yu. For example, she would not work for publishers that didn't pay their artists a fair living wage. She was also one of the fist children's book artists to ask for royalties. She encouraged other artists to do the same. 'Let's not follow the old rules,' she said. 'Let's make new ones.'"

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown

Balzer + Bray
(Harper Collins)
(pub. 5.21.2019) 
48 pages

A True Tale with

A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Mac Barnett
      and illustrator:   
         Sarah Jacoby

 
C haracter: Margaret Wise Brown

O verview from front flap: 
     "What is important about Margaret Wise Brown?
      In 42 inspired pages, this biography by award-winning writer Mac Barnett vividly depicts one of the greatest children's book creators who ever lived: Margaret Wise Brown, the author of Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and The Little Fur Family. Illustrated with sumptuous art by rising star Sarah Jacoby, this is essential reading for children's book lovers of every age."

T antalizing taste: 

     "Margaret Wise Brown lived for 42 years.
      This book is 42 pages long.
      You can't fit somebody's life into 42 pages,
      so I am just going to tell you some important things.

     The important thing about Margaret Wise Brown is that she wrote books ...
     Over 100 books were written by Margaret Wise Brown.

     It can be odd to imagine the lives of the people who write the books you read, like running into your teacher at the supermarket.
     But authors are people.
     They are born and they die.
     They make jokes and mistakes.
     They fall in love and they fall in love again.
     They go to the supermarket to buy tomatoes,
     which they keep in the bottom drawer of their refrigerators,
     even though tomatoes should stay out on the counter.
     But which of these things is important? And to whom?"

And something more: I was stunned to read in this book that Margaret Wise Brown's books (such as GOODNIGHT MOON) were originally not included in the NYC library (and therefore other libraries) because the head librarian, Anne Carroll Moore, thought Brown's books were the wrong kind of books or specifically "truck" meaning worthless or garbage. She even stamped these books with "NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PURCHASE BY EXPERT". 
     
     Of course, I needed to read more about this exclusion, and I learned that Mac Barnett's research was accurate. But I also liked the perspective provided in Elizabeth Bird's post on School Library Journal titled "The Quintessential Librarian Stereotype: Wrestling with the Legacy of Anne Carroll Moore". The wonderful Elizabeth Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. Her post concludes with "As we move forward, let’s tip our hat to what [Moore] did right, acknowledge what she did wrong, and work to help promote, help, and support the new generation of children’s librarians out there that are facing 21st century challenges, the like of which the world has never seen before." 

Planting Stories

The Life of Librarian
and Storyteller Pura Belpre

(Harper Collins Publishers)
(pub. 1.15.2019) 
40 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: 
 Anika Aldamuy Denise

 and illustrator: Paola Escobar
 
C haracter: Pura Belpre

O verview: 
     "Follow la vida y el legado of Pura Belpre, the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City.
     When she came to American in 1921, Pura carried the cuentos folkloricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape a generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura's legacy.
     This portrait of  the  influential librarian, author, and puppeteer reminds us of the power of storytelling and the extraordinary woman who opened doors and championed bilingual literature."

T antalizing taste: 
     "In the children's room, she lights the story hour candle ... and begins:
     Her eyes dance! Her voice sings!
     Pura's words paint a picture of a little house with a round balcony, where Martina, a beautiful Spanish cockroach, meets Perez, a handsome and gallant mouse. El ratoncito Perez y la cucarachita Martina, a tale from the tamarind tree.
     When Pura's story is done, each child makes a wish on the candle, and, with a wisp of air ... whoosh! La vela is blown out.
     Now Pura has a wish, too: to plant her story seeds throughout the land."

And something more: I always like learning what inspired the creation of a book. In the Author's Note, Anika Aldamuy Denise writes: "The seeds of the idea for this book first took root as I stood in the New York Public Library's central branch, gazing up at a large black-and-white photo of Pura Belpre: author, storyteller, and the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City.  Seeing the larger-than-life image of this remarkable boricua woman I'd long admired, I felt a swell of pride and, along with it, the warmth of recognition. For Pura's photo brought to mind my titis (aunts): first-generation mainland Americans whose parents migrated to New York from Puerto Rico...  Now each year the American Library Association recognizes outstanding works of literature by Latinx authors and illustrators with the Pura Belpre Award."

Look Up With Me

Neil deGrasse Tyson:
A Life Among the Stars

Katherine Tegen Books
(HarperCollins Publishers)
(pub. 2.5.2019) 
40 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor:  Jennifer Berne

 and illustrator: Lorraine Nam
 
C haracter: Neil deGrasse

O verview: 
     "Neil deGrasse Tyson was born curious. And the secrets of a billion galaxies lay there - waiting for him to explore their cosmic mysteries. He just had to look up.
     Up beyond the city lights,
         up at the shining stars,
             up through the Milky Way
                 and past the veil of the night sky.
  
Follow young Neil's journey as he discovers the wonders of space, the thrill of science, and the joy in sharing the beauty of our amazing universe."

T antalizing taste: 
     "One day, Neil went to New York City's famous Hayden Planetarium.
     As he sat beneath the high arc of the theater, out went the lights and ...
     Neil's mind was launched ... into outer space.
     In a single instant, his world expanded a hundred times, a thousand times, even more.
     Projected on the huge dome above his head was the night sky with countless thousands of stars.
     A gigantic spectacular, beautiful cosmos Neil never knew existed.
     And in that moment, his life was changed forever."


And something more: Jennifer Berne's Author's Note includes a wonderful small world story: "Twelve years ago, when I was just beginning my book-writing career, I sent a package [of my manuscripts] to one of my inspirational heroes, Neil deGrasse Tyson.
     "A few weeks later, I received ... a response from Neil! His letter thanked me for sharing my passions with him and was wonderfully encouraging and complimentary... At the same time, he was cautiously realistic asking, 'Have you collected your forty rejection letters yet? I don't know why, but it seems to be a rite of passage'... Well, he was right. I did get my stories published - but not without collecting a folder of rejection letters first... 
     "Then, in 2017, in a wonderful turn of events, things began to come full circle. HarperCollins publisher Katherine Tegen and editor Mabel Hsu [asked me to write a book] about Neil deGrasse Tyson... I couldn't say yes fast enough!"

     LOOK UP WITH ME includes an Introduction written by Neil DeGrasse Tyson which says, in part, "I've felt like a kid my entire life. Why? Because I'm a scientist. Scientists are kids who never lost their natural childhood curiosity about the world... So even as you grow older, never stop being a kid. This will guarantee that the world - even the universe itself - becomes and remains your playground of curiosity."

Out of This World

The Surreal Art
of Leonora Carrington

Balzer + Bray
(Harper Collins Publishers)
(pub. 1.22.2019) 
40 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Michelle Markel
 and illustrator: Amanda Hall  
 
C haracter: Leonora Carrington

O verview from the jacket flap: 
     "Ever since she was a little girl, Leonora Carrington loved to draw on walls, in books, on paper - and she loved the fantastic tales her grandmother told that took her to worlds that shimmered beyond this one, where legends became real.
     Leonora's parents wanted her to become a proper English lady, but there was only one thing she wanted, even if it was unsuitable: to become an artist. In London, she discovered a group of artists called surrealists, who were stunning the world with their mysterious creations. This was the kind of art she had to make. This was the kind of person she had to be.
     From life in Paris creating art alongside Max Ernst to Mexico, where she met Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, Leonora's life became intertwined with the powerful events and people that shaped the twentieth century..."
    

T antalizing taste: 

      "She learned to dive into her imagination, to summon memories and secret wishes ...
    She painted a plush chair in her childhood home. A little version of her took a seat. Out flowed her hair like a wild mane. Up went her rocking horse to the ceiling. A hyena tiptoed toward her hand.
     Leonora and the other female surrealists were thrilled to be making art from a woman's point of view. They had no interest in painting women who looked like pretty decorations as men had done for centuries. Leonora was just beginning to unleash her artistic powers when a terrible thing happened.
     In 1940, Germany invaded Western Europe..."

And something more: At the back of the book, Amanda Hall explains in her Illustrator's Note: "... the specific challenge for me was to convey the spirit, themes, and sensibility she explored in her creative output without attempting to re-create literally any of her actual imagery.  Since working on Out of this World, I have also become familiar with aspects of her extraordinary life story and her determination to forge her own creative and personal authenticity.  That was all the more remarkable in the context of such historical and global turbulence."

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen

Balzer + Bray
(HarperCollins Publishers)

(pub. 1.23.2018)
 40 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor:  Deborah Hopkinson
    and illustrator: Qin Leng

C haracter: Jane Austen

O verview from the jacket flap: 

     "It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers.
     But before that, she was just an ordinary girl.
     In fact, young Jane was a bit quiet and shy; if you had met her back then, you might not have noticed her at all. But she would have noticed you. Jane watched and listened to all the things people around her did and said and locked those observations away for safekeeping.
     Jane also loved to read. She devoured everything in her father's massive library, and before long she began creating her own stories. In her time, the most popular books were grand adventures and romances, but Jane wanted to go her own way ... and went on to invent an entirely new kind of novel.
     Deborah Hopkinson and Qin Leng have collaborated on a gorgeous tribute to an independent thinker who turned ordinary life into extraordinary stories and created a body of work that has delighted and inspired readers for generations."

T antalizing taste: 
       
"Now, two hundred years later,
I wonder if Jane would be surprised to learn
that her books are still read and loved
by people all over the world?
Maybe.
Then again, maybe not.

For perhaps there was a moment
when young Jane stood alone in
her father's grand library,
with the works of great men all around her,
and said to herself, 'I can do this.
I can do even better.
I will write about the ordinary world
in the most extraordinary way.'

That, dear reader, is exactly what she did."

and something more: The back flap says that "Deborah Hopkinson first discovered Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in sixth grade and continues to reread it once a year (at least). Her favorite Austen film scene is the moment when the late and beloved actor Alan Rickman tosses coins into the air in Sense and Sensibility. When not reading or watching Austen (and longing to visit England), Deborah writes picture books, middle grade novels and nonfiction from her home near Portland, Oregon."  
      And she's also been on the faculty of wonderful narrative nonfiction workshop retreats through Highlights Foundation/Boyds Mills Press in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.  And I was lucky enough to attend just such a writing retreat!

Brick By Brick

This post joins other
Nonfiction Monday blogs
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and joins It's Monday!

What are you reading?

at Teacher Mentor Texts

Amistad (Harper Collins)

(pub. 12.26.12) 32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Charles R. Smith Jr.

     and Illustrator:  Floyd Cooper

C haracters: slaves

O verview from the publisher's website: 

      "The president of a new country needs a new home, so many hands work together as one.  Black hands, white hands, free hands, slave hands. In this powerful story of the building of the White House, Coretta Scott King Award winners Charles R. Smith Jr. and Floyd Cooper capture the emotion and toil that created this incredible structure, the home of our president. The White House was created by many hands, several of them slaves, who will be remembered throughout history for their extraordinary feat..."

T antalizing taste: 

"Slave hands build
and slave hands save
shillings to be free
and no longer a slave.

Slave hands count shillings
with worn fingertips
and purchase freedom
earned brick by brick."

and something more: The back matter of Brick by Brick provides additional powerful information about the building of the White House: "Slaves endured a snake-infested island and mosquito swarms to dig up the stones needed for the walls of the house. They endured hour after hour of cutting and trimming wood, often until their hands were bloodied or deformed. The work was hard on the body, especially the hands."