Mod 15: And Tango Makes Three Review

What's It All About?

Tango's family isn't the typical setup you'd see in the zoo. Tango has two parents, both are male. This picture book is an illustrated version of the true tale of Tango and his papas.

What'd I Think?

I loved it. It's a sweet tale of two penguins who are in love and longing for a child. When they substituted a rock for an egg, it melted my heart. Tango is so lucky to have been raised by his adoptive family. This would even be a great story to read just regarding adoption and showing that you don't have to be the birth parents to show love to your child.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Horn Book Guide

(October 01, 2005; 9780689878459)

Two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo court, build a nest, and raise their (adopted) daughter Tango. Highly anthropomorphized to maximize the sentimental but noteworthy lesson on family diversity, the story gains depth from the biological reality of same-sex penguin partnering. Gentle illustrations of the smiling penguin family add appeal, if not scientific accuracy, to this book based on a true story. (c) Copyright 2010.

Publishers Weekly

(May 16, 2005; 9780689878459)

Tango has two daddies in this heartwarming tale, inspired by actual events in New York's Central Park Zoo. Two male penguins, Roy and Silo, "did everything together. They bowed to each other.... They sang to each other. And swam together. Wherever Roy went, Silo went too.... Their keeper... thought to himself, `They must be in love.' " Cole's (The Sissy Duckling) endearing watercolors follow the twosome as they frolic affectionately in several vignettes and then try tirelessly to start a family-first they build a stone nest and then they comically attempt to hatch a rock. Their expressive eyes capture a range of moods within uncluttered, pastel-hued scenes dominated by pale blue. When the keeper discovers an egg that needs tending, he gives it to Roy and Silo, who hatch and raise the female. The keeper says, "We'll call her Tango,... because it takes two to make a Tango." Older readers will most appreciate the humor inherent in her name plus the larger theme of tolerance at work in this touching tale. Richardson and Parnell, making their children's book debut, ease into the theme from the start, mentioning that "families of all kinds" visit the zoo. This tender story can also serve as a gentle jumping-off point for discussions about same-sex partnerships in human society. Ages 4-8. (June)

What Do I Do With It?

Students can draw their own depiction of the penguin family based on real photos and the illustrations.

Mod 12: Odd Boy Out Review

What's It All About?

Brown has created a picture book focused on young Albert Einstein. Children can see that he wasn't always this old man sticking his tongue out. He was ornery, and strange but brilliant. Brown's book does a fine job of illustrating the fact that we all start somewhere.

What'd I Think?

While the story about Einstein's young life was enlightening, he comes out looking worse in my mind than he did going in. Who knew he was such a jerk in his younger years? It's not the authors fault as they didn't commit the bad behaviors listed but it just put a sour taste in my mouth. THe illustrations were fantastic.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Booklist

(September 01, 2004; 9780618492985)

Gr. 3-5. Young readers won't come away from Brown's newest picture-book biography understanding the theory of relativity, but they will be heartened by the parallels between their own experiences and those of an iconic science guy. The author-illustrator of Mack Made Movies 0 (2003) and other books presents the future Nobel Prize winner as a sallow, sunken-eyed little boy who lingers on the sidelines as other boys roughhouse, spends hours building a house of cards "fourteen stories high," and vexes his teachers (one tells him that "he would never get anywhere in life"). Brown's language dips into vagueness when it's time to describe the mature scientist's contributions, and the accompanying artwork is often disappointingly generic, awkwardly incorporating computer-generated elements that overwhelm the delicate ink-and-watercolor style used elsewhere. Still, this joins Frida Wishinsky's What's the Matter with Albert? 0 (2002) as one of the very few picture-book biographies of Einstein available. Try giving it to older elementary students, who will get the most out of the detailed author's note and bibliography featuring many books for adults. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2004 Booklist

Publishers Weekly

(October 18, 2004; 9780618492985)

Brown (Mack Made Movies) shapes an impressionistic portrait of Einstein in his early years, opening with comments of family members gazing upon the newborn (his grandmother says he is "much too fat" and "his mother fears his head is too big"). Writing in the present tense, the author shares anecdotes that reveal young Einstein's character: his temper tantrums scare away his tutor; he brings "a single-minded attention" to such pastimes as building elaborate houses of cards; his parents so encourage his independence that they allow him to wander the streets of Munich alone at the age of four; and the boy early on displays an extraordinary skill at and fascination with mathematics (though other schoolwork bores him). True to the book's title, Brown emphasizes ways in which Einstein fails to fit in with his peers. He dislikes sports, is disturbed rather than excited at the sight of soldiers parading in the street and, as the only Jewish student in school, is taunted by his classmates. The writing occasionally becomes muddy when discussing Einstein's scientific thinking and discoveries ("He says that everything is in motion and when something moves very fast, as fast as light, strange things happen, like clocks running slower and objects becoming shorter"), targeting the book more to kids who identify with the hero's personality traits than to those interested in the man's ideas. But Brown's narrative and appealingly quirky pen-and-ink and watercolor art effectively illuminate the eccentricities and intelligence of Einstein the boy and the man. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

What Do I Do With It?

Students will create a timeline of Albert Einstein's life. They can add enhancements such as pictures or drawings of him at varying ages, his discoveries, etc.

Mod 11: Dogs on Duty Review

What's It All About?

Patent shows how man's best friend becomes a soldier's best friend on the battlefield. She elaborates on the history of service dogs, what they can contribute, and what kind of life they lead once their duties are finished. Dogs on Duty is an excellent sampling of brave K-9 heroes in the United States Military.

What'd I Think?

I've never really been one for non-fiction books but this one captured my attention from the start. The story was fast-paced and filled with interesting tidbits. The full-color photos were a lovely addition to the timeline of America's service dogs. I found the book riveting and enlightening!

I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

School Library Journal

(September 01, 2012; 9780802728456)

Gr 3-6-The invaluable contributions of Military Working Dogs are well documented in this book. Patent discusses their special attributes such as the night vision and sense of smell that help MWDs to keep their human partners safe. The roles they have played in World Wars I and II, in Vietnam, and in Iraq and Afghanistan are highlighted. Brief histories of individual dogs such as Stubby from World War I and Eli in Afghanistan are touchingly told. Present-day training and equipment are also explained. The excellently selected, full-color photos constantly capture these devoted canines selflessly performing their duties and sometimes just offering comfort and affection to their human counterparts. The author points out that the military continues to classify these dogs as equipment in spite of their unique service, and many were abandoned in Vietnam when the U.S. left the country. Today, more are returning home and being adopted or continuing to serve in other capacities. Their story is impressive and the author has told it well.-Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA (c) Copyright 2012.

Publishers Weekly

(August 06, 2012; 9780802728456)

In informed prose and photographs of conflicts past and present, Patent explores the timely topic of dogs trained to assist soldiers. Images from contemporary wars depict such breeds as the Belgian Malinois (the breed of the dog that famously assisted with the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound) being trained by handlers and at work in the field, while vintage photographs of soldiers and their dogs from WWII and other past wars reveal how dogs have been involved in combat for generations. Profiles of "Hero Hounds" appear throughout, offering specific accounts of dogs at war. A moving portrayal of the powerful human-canine partnership. Ages 4-up. (Sept.) 

What Do I Do With It?

Students can write a poem about what makes military dogs heroes in their eyes.

Mod 5: Talkin' About Bessie Review

What's It All About?

Bessie's tale is a truly inspirational tale of a woman who wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to her dreams. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman vowed to become the first African-American female pilot after hearing about the Wright brothers taking flight. She was a mere 11 years old at the time. Through determination and will she proved that no matter obstacles stand in your way, you can overcome them.

What'd I Think?

This is a powerful tale about a very strong woman. I'd never heard of her through all my history classes and travels. Her story is one that I think could start a spark in any young girl's heart to believe in their selves. 

I give it 3 out of 5 stars!

What'd They Think?

Horn Book Guide - 
( April 01, 2003; 9780439352437 )

At Coleman's death, Grimes invites twenty individuals to a fictional wake and, in first-person testimonial verse, has each remember Bessie and the forces that shaped her life. Small sepia-toned portraits personalize the tributes. Watercolors on facing pages evoke each incident and often soften the harshness in Coleman's life. Grimes separates fact from fiction in an introduction and an endnote. Like Bessie, this tribute to her life soars. Bib. (c) Copyright 2010.

School Library Journal -
( October 01, 2002; 9780439352437 )

Gr 3-8-This fresh contribution to the spate of relatively recent titles about Coleman has a decidedly unique tone. Talkin' is a well-conceived, well-executed, handsomely illustrated, fictionalized account of the life of the first black female licensed pilot in the world (CIP places the book in the 600s). An introductory note puts the aviatrix in historical context, but neglects to explain some references (e.g., Jim Crow laws). The text consists of 21 poetic vignettes of Coleman delivered by "speakers" at a funeral parlor, all of whom have come to mourn the pilot who died at age 34 in a plane accident. Their reminiscences on stark white pages are illustrated with miniature portraits bordered in sepia, each one facing a full-page watercolor capturing a moment in the woman's life. Skillfully drawn and occasionally photographic in their realism, the pictures perfectly match each speaker's recollections. A concluding note states rather definitively in regard to her death: "The cause of the crash remains a mystery" despite some evidence to the contrary. No sources are listed. While fictional, this is a fine piece to use to set a tone or inspire more research into Coleman's life. It could also serve as an exceptional writing model for students. The concept, much like Marilyn Nelson's Carver: A Life in Poems (Front Street, 2001), is noteworthy.-Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

What Do I Do With It?

This story would be great either during Women's History month or Black History month as a means of introducing students to someone they may not have heard about. After doing so they could research another unsung hero in whichever category they choose. They would then share the story with the class in the form of a picture book of their own creation showing highlights in that person's life.