Non-Fiction (Intermediate)

Title: The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat Called Fish
Author: Martin, Jacqueline Briggs
Illustrator: Krommes, Beth
Publisher & Date: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age Range: 2nd-5th grade
Summary: This book is based on a true story about a voyage to the Canadian Arctic. there are lots of people on this boat including an Inupiat family and Inupiat hunters. Even with the knowledge and skills the Inupiat people have of survival techniques, the crew's survival in the Arctic conditions seem very slim.
Response: This book was very hard to get into. It seemed like it kept dragging on and on. The illustrations were very captivating and did an excellent job supporting the story. It is written in a somewhat poetic manner. The thing that I liked about the book was at the end, the author listed the passengers, the crew, and the animals that were aboard the ship. There are also some photographs of some of the actual passengers. I also liked how the back cover of the book is a map showing the path the ship took.

Non-Fiction (Intermediate)

Title: The Great Expedition of Lewis and Clark
Author: Edwards, Judith
Illustrator: Comport, Sally Wern
Publisher & Date: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2003
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age Range: 4th-6th grade
Summary: This books tells the journey of Lewis and Clark. It is told by a man who is apart of the Corps of Discovery, named Private Reubin Field. It tells of the struggles they faced and the difficulties the encountered. It tells of all the different people they met along their journey.
Response: this illustrations in this book remind you of the time period the expedition took place. The illustrations helped you capture the events of that time very well. I really liked all the facts and history stuffed in this book. This would be a good book to use in a social studies class. Teachers need to be sure that all the statements in this book are factual before using it though.

Non-Fiction (Primary)

Title: Wild Ponies
Author: Arnosry, Jim
Publisher & Date: National Geographic Society, 2002
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age Range: K-2nd grade
Summary: This book tells what the wild ponies and other animals on Assateague Island do all day.
Response: This book is a very primary information book. It uses rhyming on each page to make it easier for younger children to read and understand. The text is very large and not very much text is placed on each page. I chose this book because I love horses, and I have actually been to Assateague Island. At the end, in the author's note, it gives some more information about the island and the animals that inhabitant it.

Non-Fiction (Primary)

Title:The Librarian of Basra
Author: Winter, Jeanette
Publisher & Date: Harcourt Inc, 2005
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age Range: 1st-4th grade
Summary: The library in Basra, Iraq was a place where people met to discuss earthly and spiritual matters. But, then their discussions became only about war. The librarian asked the governor if the books could be moved so that they would not get destroyed during the war. He said no, but the librarian secretly transported the books to a neighboring restaurant. Nine days later her library got burnt to the ground. She moved all 30,ooo books to her house and she dreams of a new library where her books will be safe.
Response: Although there are not many words per page, this is a powerful story. It is very relevant to today's current situations in the war, but it is from an Iraqi's perspective. This librarian cared so much for her books. She was able to save about 70% of her books. These people live in fear wondering when the next attack will come. I think this book would be great to help children understand how the Iraqi people's lives have been changed because of all the attacks. It also shows children how much these people value books. I really enjoyed the illustrations and use of colors.