Author Archive

WWII Fiction and Nonfiction for Middle School

March 9, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, Historical, Mackin Picks, Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Novels, Reviews, Social Studies

Hero on a BicycleHero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes. April 2013. 9780763660376. Gr 6-8.

When I heard the Candlewick rep say, ” Hero is about a 13-year-old boy during World War II, living in Italy,” I wanted to read this book.  World War II is my favorite period of history. We meet Paolo Crivelli, his older sister Constanza, and their mother Rosemary living in the hills of Florence. It is 1944, and the Allied forces are trying to push the Nazis north of Florence to the Italian border. Paolo wants to be part of the war efforts, but is too young to enlist as a soldier and is bored staying home. So he daily plans his escape and rides his beloved bike through the darkened streets of Florence late at night.

One night on his way back home, he is stopped by some Partisans who want help from Paolo’s family. Rosemary agrees to hide Allied prisoners until they can be moved to safety. By hiding prisoners, she puts her whole family at risk of being shot. Paolo, Constanza, and Rosemary show their bravery and courage.

This story captured my attention from the first page. It is Shirley’s first novel, but she has known since she visited Florence at the end of World War II that she would someday write a story about this beautiful area. That someday has come—sixty years later. Her teenage characters seem very authentic, because she based them not only on her own memories as a teenager living in England during this war, but also on a family she met in Italy after the war.

Courage Has No ColorMackin PicksCourage Has No Color : The True Story of the Triple Nickels : America’s First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone. 2013. 9780763651176. Gr 5-8.

Courage Has No Color  is also a story about World War II, but it is based here in the U.S. Think about it, we had troops in Europe and the Pacific fighting Hitler’s injustices. But in the United States, men of black skin didn’t have the same rights as those with white skin. German and Italian prisoners of war, who had killed American soldiers, were allowed into the post exchange, but the black soldiers in uniforms were not allowed in. Black soldiers could not even sit at a table with the white soldiers to eat. They were treated as servants.

I had not heard of this group of paratroopers before, but I have gained much respect for them from this book. In the fall of 1943, first sergeant Walter Morris started a training program modeling that of the white paratroopers. Within a week his men began to act like soldiers. Sixteen African-American men made history on February 18, 1944, when they became paratroopers. The Triple Nickels were never sent to the war front, but were transferred to Pendleton Air Base in Oregon. At Pendleton, the Triple Nickels became smoke-jumpers, putting out fires started by bomb-laden balloons. These balloons had been floated by the Japanese on the jet stream to the west coast of the U.S.  I found this story as fascinating as the Red Tails story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American group of pilots from World War II.

Tanya Lee Stone asks, “What did it take to be a paratrooper in World War II? Specialized training, extreme physical fitness, courage, and—until the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (the Triple Nickels) was formed –white skin… What is courage? What is strength? Perhaps it is being ready to fight for your nation even when your nation isn’t ready to fight for you.”

Guestblogger : Kathy V.

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This Book Is for Everyone: Embracing Diversity within Identity

November 23, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, High School, Novels, Realistic · Tagged , , , , , , ,

We all know that there are very good books out there that depict characters of diverse backgrounds, making it easier to reach out to the kids we know from diverse backgrounds. But finding those titles and including them only on displays or in themes entitled Diversity is a disservice both to the books and to kids.

Books featuring characters of color, characters with disabilities, or LGBT characters belong in standard collections, thematic units of study, and in the hands of all readers—not only in those of the communities they represent.

Here are some new titles that deserve to be read—and not only by the young people they represent.

Black Boy White School by Brian Walker chronicles a powerful year in the life of Anthony Jones, a streetwise and academically able 14-year-old growing up in a gritty neighborhood in East Cleveland. After finding that he has been awarded a full scholarship at Belton Academy, an overwhelmingly white prep school in Maine, “Ant” witnesses the horrific murder of a close friend and decides to go, despite reservations about leaving home and entering a daunting new environment. During Anthony’s freshman year, he grapples with racism and socioeconomic tensions as he struggles with his own identity. A thoroughly likeable character caught in two difficult worlds, Anthony has a lot to share. Rough language and violence underscore Walker’s important story.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills and I Am J by Cris Beam share a similar premise—both protagonists are young men who were born in girls’ bodies. In Beautiful Music, Gabe (born Elizabeth) has a passion for music and a part-time night DJ gig at a community radio station. His show—Beautiful Music for Ugly Children—attracts some local attention—mostly good, but also a couple of hateful young men bent on destroying Gabe. With the support of his friends, Gabe finds a way to pave a future for himself.

In I am J, Cris Beam draws on her experiences as a teacher at an LGBT high school in Los Angeles to tell the story of J, who was born as Jennifer. While he is living as a girl, J feels alienated from his family and friends, but he knows that they wouldn’t accept him as a boy. He feels trapped and running away seems like the only answer, which is a common choice among LGBT youth. J finds help in a high school similar to the one in which the author taught, where he learns about transitioning, starts to build a support system, and finally begins to feel comfortable in his own skin. Teen readers may find that they relate to J’s outsider status and his frustration with labels that don’t quite fit, even if they have no experience with transgender individuals.

Include the above titles in an Identity theme or unit—inclusive of everyone—encouraging students to tackle questions such as, “How do you know when you have found your place in the world?” and “How and why do people change?” And challenge kids to try books featuring characters unlike themselves!

Bibliography of Titles for Identity Theme:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. 9780316013680. 2007. Gr 9-12.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills. 9780738732510. 2012. Gr 9-12.

Black Boy White School by Brian Walker. 9780061914836. 2012. Gr 9-12.

Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston. 9780763661465. March 2013. Gr 9-12.

The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau. 9780399158452. 2012. Gr 11-Adult.

Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier. 9780439357623. 2002. Gr 7-12.

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick. 9780316127974. 2012. Gr 7-12.

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt. 9780375846915. 2007. Gr. 8-12.

Carly’s Voice: Breaking through Autism by Arthur Fleischmann. 9781439194140. 2012. Gr 11-Adult.

Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White by Lila Quintero Weaver. 9780817357146. 2012. Gr 11-Adult.

Dead to You by Lisa McMann. 9781442403888. 2012. Gr 10-12.

Double by Jenny Valentine. 9781423147145. 2012. Gr 9-12.

Flip by Martyn Bedford. 9780385908085. 2011. Gr 9-12.

I Am J by Cris Beam. 9780316053617. 2011. Gr 9-12.

Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde. 9780375866654. 2010. Gr 10-12.

The List by Siobhan Vivian. 9780545169172. 2012. Gr 9-12.

Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena. 9780385903295. 2008. Gr 9-12.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. 9780062020567. 2012. Gr 9-12.

Guestblogger:  Lori C.

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Common Core and the Language Arts Classroom

November 8, 2012 · Filed under Biography, High School, History, Memoir, Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Social Studies · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lately, whenever the topic of the Common Core State Standards comes up in conversations with educators, I don’t typically see enthusiastic responses. Everyone knows about the standards and understands that they mean a shift in teaching. Most educators have heard that Common Core calls for a higher level of rigor and more nonfiction. Some are making the shift from novel units to thematic units, teaching texts in the context of other texts. But what lots of people don’t know is that the development of the standards has paralleled the unveiling of really awesome books. Here is just a taste.

Middle School

The Giant and How He Humbugged America by Jim Murphy. 2012. 9780439691840. Gr 5-8.

The Giant and How He Humbugged America is a historical narrative about the discovery in 1869 of an over-sized petrified man and how it led to a series of scandalous claims and money-making scams. The engrossing story hooks the reader from the beginning. With chapter titles, photos and illustrations, primary documents, and detailed post-text material on other famous hoaxes, the author’s research, notes, and bibliography, this book supports the kind of reading that Common Core articulates. Complement this book with supporting titles such as these:

Duped!: True Stories of the World’s Best Swindlers by Andreas Schroeder.2011. 9781554513505. Gr 4-7.

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum by Candace Fleming. 2009. 9780375945977. Gr 5-8.

Billy Creekmore by Tracey Porter. 2007. 9780060775704. Gr 5-7.

Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker. 2011. 9780805089455. Gr 5-8.

Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 is a riveting account of a little-known event in Canadian history. Fascinating background information about Halifax, the French ship Mont-Blanc and her journey, and several families directly affected by the incident set up the chain of events leading to the explosion in Halifax Harbour. The rich text, photographs, maps, diagrams, primary documents, source notes, and bibliography support Common Core recommendations for text quality and rigor. Complement this book with supporting titles such as these:

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson. 2012. 9780545116749. Gr 4-8.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong. 1998. 9780375810497. Gr 7-12.

Shackleton’s Stowaway by Victoria McKernan. 2006. 9780440419846. Gr 6-9.

Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck by Margarita Engle. 2011. 9780805092400. Gr 6-10.

Classics such as Theodore Taylor’s The Cay. 1969. 9780385079068. Gr 5-8.

The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by Catherine Reef.  2012. 9780547579665. Gr 6-8.

The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne is a chapter-by-chapter account of the lives of England’s most famous literary sisters. This family biography introduces young readers to these celebrated authors of poetry and fiction. A section at the end of the book features the titles of their complete works, including letters, correspondence, and childhood writings. Complement this book with supporting titles such as Church, Countryside, City, and Victoria and Her Court—the titles in the Benchmark Books’ Life in Victorian England series by Virginia Schomp (2010-11, Gr 6-10), and classics such as Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg. 2012.  9780802798183. Gr 5-8.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous describes the deaths of 19 of history’s most famous personalities. Each entry features basic information about the person in question, along with detailed and intriguing information about his or her death and remains. Following the chapter is a spread with great related information that middle schoolers will find fascinating (i.e., Things to do with Old Mummies; Boneyard Words; The Guillotine) in short bullet points, timelines, graphs, lists, and charts. Complement this book with supporting titles such as these:

Death: Corpses, Cadavers, and Other Grave Matters by Elizabeth Murray. 2010. 9780761338512. Gr 6-9.

Defining Dulcie by Paul Acampora. 2008. 9780142411834. Gr 7-10.

Laugh with the Moon by Shana Burg. 2012. 9780385904698. Gr 6-8.

Good Night, Commander by Ahmad Akbarpour. 2010.  9780888999894. Gr 5-8.

High School

Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources by Geoff Hiscock. 2012. 9781118152881. Gr 11-Adult.

Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources argues that the scarcity of key resources—food, water, energy, and metals—will shape the future of the earth and society. Hiscock explores the problems and possible solutions that could arise as the powers with ownership of these resources face off against one another. The writing is clear and concise and is accompanied by maps, charts, notes, sidebars, quotes, and a bibliography. Complement this book with supporting titles such as these:

Earthgirl by Jennifer Cowan. 2010. 9780888998897. Gr 9-12.

47 Things You Can Do for the Environment by Lexi Petronis. 2012. 9780982732212. Gr 7-12.

The documentary Climate Refugees: The Human Face of Climate Change directed by Michael Nash. The Video Project. 2011. Gr 9-Adult.

Yellow Dirt: An American Story of a Poisoned Land and a People Betrayed by Judy Pasternak. 2011. 9781416594826. Gr 10-Adult.

Yellow Dirt: An American Story of a Poisoned Land and a People Betrayed explores a time in history when the U.S. government’s push for nuclear weapon capability led to brazen disregard for the Navajo people living and working where the uranium was mined. Knowing about the health risks related to uranium exposure, mining companies employed hundreds of Navajo workers, while the government failed to regulate the mines. Contaminated lands, along with high cancer and birth defect rates, were the result, but no effort was made to clean up the mess or compensate the Navajo Nation until decades later. The book begins with a handy list of “Principal Characters” and ends with an up-to-date afterword and includes photographs, primary source material, and detailed notes. Complement this book with supporting titles such as these:

Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats by Kristen Iversen. 2012. 9780307955630. Gr 10-Adult.

Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac. 2006. 9780803729216 Gr 7-12.

Native Universe: Voices of Indian America by Gerald McMaster. 2008. 9781426203350. Gr 9-Adult.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. 2009. 9780316013680. Gr 9-12.

Andrew Jenks: My Adventures as a Young Filmmaker. March 2013. 9780545417273. Gr 9-12.

Andrew Jenks: My Adventures as a Young Filmmaker is the autobiographical story of the man behind MTV’s World of Jenks—a documentary series in which he spends time with a variety different people as they pursue their lives and dreams. The visually engrossing book narrates Jenks’s early rise as a filmmaker (he is now 26). “I want to tell the stories of my generation. I want to be a filmmaker that is able to capture what my generation thinks, how they act, and what they ultimately stand for,” says Jenks. Complement this book with supporting titles such as these:

Making Film History: Rewrite, Reshoot, and Recut the World’s Greatest Films by Robert Gerst. 2012. 9781615931224. Gr 9-Adult.

The documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner. 2008. 9780767085977. Gr 7-Adult.

Reel Culture: 50 Classic Movies You Should Know About (So You Can Impress Your Friends) by Mimi O’Connor. 2009. 9780981973319. Gr 10-Adult.

Guestblogger: Lori C.

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Book Review: BZRK

May 24, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, High School, Reviews, Science Fiction · Tagged , , ,

BZRK by Michael Grant. 2012. 9781606843123. Gr 9-Adult.

Everything about this book screamed, “Pick me up! Read me!”  From the blocky, embossed copper title letters to the tagline on the front cover, which states, “In this war there are only two outcomes: Victory or Madness.”

BZRK is the brainchild of Michael Grant, who is also the co-author of the Animorphs series with his wife, Katherine Applegate, as well as author of the popular young adult series Gone.  BZRK centers around a secret organization of mostly teenaged, tech-savvy, gamer types.  They are tasked with battling for the world’s freedom, which is threatened by BZRK’s evil counterpart, the less-than-insidiously named Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation (AFGC).  The battle is fought primarily with nanotechnology, both biological and mechanical.  AFCG’s leaders are two of the most creative and terrifying villains I have come across.  They are conjoined twins bent on altering human minds towards their endgame of peace and harmony, at the expense of personal freedom and identity. This wicked pair works together to make for one great villain, as they inspire just the right amount of sympathy and revulsion in the reader.

AFCG plans on infesting world leaders’ minds with nanobots, controlled by “twitchers”, who are those adept at video games, and consequently, good at guiding these bots through the landscape of the human body. The nanobots eventually reach the brain and can “rewire” them to be under AFCG’s control.

All of this results in battles between BZRK and AFCG, with settings ranging from the streets of New York City to the surface of the human eye (sidenote: when nanobots are being controlled by humans on the eyeball’s surface, it is humorously referred to by BRZK members as “eye-skating”).  Grant conjures wonderful imagery of the micro-world, describing what pores, cells, and even fleas look like from a nanobot’s perspective.  Keeping up with the large cast of characters, the battles in the macro-world and micro-world, and the fast pace of the story is dizzying, but in a good way.

The word that kept coming to mind while reading BZRK was “cinematic”.  The themes of good versus evil, espionage, and bioterrorism seem tailor-made for Hollywood.  I could almost see the movie trailer and hear the sonorous voiceover as I pictured the stunning Hollywood special effects. And, sure enough, upon doing further research, I saw that BZRK has been optioned to be made into a big budget Hollywood movie.  The book has a companion website, complete with hi-definition book trailer, forums, blog, and a sharp-looking digital comic book series, among other things.  With BZRK the first book in a planned trilogy, it is poised to make a Hunger Games-like run.

Guestblogger:  Ryan H.

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GIRL SCOUTS: Happy 100th Birthday!

March 17, 2012 · Filed under Biography, High School, History, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Primary (K-2) · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In 1912, Juliette Gordon Low was inspired to found an organization for girls modeled on the Boy Scouts of America, which began in 1910 (both groups trace their origins to Lord Baden Powell’s Scouting organizations in Great Britain). One hundred years and millions of members later, the Girl Scouts are still going strong.  To all of those readers who have ever earned a badge, shared a campfire, or sold a box of cookies, here is a selection of books published in honor of Girl Scouting’s centenary.

Girl Scouts: a Celebration of 100 Trailblazing Years, by Betty Christiansen. 2011. 9781584799429.  (9-Adult)

This book is a valentine to anyone who has ever been part of the unique sisterhood of Girl Scouts.  The author combed the organization’s archives for photographs, letters, and documents to illustrate scouting history.  Many of the images have never been published before.  The book is organized by decade, showing how the organization has grown and changed over the past century.

Tough Cookies:  Leadership Lesson from 100 Years of the Girl Scouts, by Kathy Cloninger. 9781118000045. 2011. (10-Adult)

Girl Scouts has always been about tapping the leadership potential of girls.  This book tells how this 100-year-old organization has transformed itself for a new century and and new girl culture while retaining its core mission to develop girls with courage, confidence, and character.

On My Honor:  Real Life Lessons from America’s First Girl Scout, by Shannon Kleiber. 9781402267932. 2012. (10-Adult)

When Juliette Gordon Low was widowed in her fifties, she did not know what to do with her life.  She longed to make a difference and to work for the betterment of society.  Inspired by the scouting organizations founded in Great Britain by Lord Baden-Powell, and following the lead of the recently formed Boy Scouts of America, Low launched an organization just for girls.  She wanted to give girls the foundations of friendship, character, and leadership that would help them live meaningful lives.  This inspirational book brings “Daisy” Low’s timeless advice to a new audience.

The following three books are all biographies of Juliette Gordon Low, aimed at different age groups. There is something for everyone here.

Here Come the Girl Scouts:  the Amazing All-True Story of Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure, by Shana Corey. 9780545342780. 2012. (K-2)

First Girl Scout:  the Life of Juliette Gordon Low, by Ginger Wadsworth. 9780547243948. 2012. (4-7)

Juliette Gordon Low: the Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts, by Stacy A. Cordery. 9780670023301. 2012. (10-Adult)

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Guestblogger: Ann G.

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Holocaust Remembance Week (May 1-8)

May 2, 2011 · Filed under Fiction, High School, Historical, Middle School (6-8), Novels · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

This posting is my acknowledgement of the suffering and perseverance of the survivors and victims of the Holocaust.

Over the years I have read many different stories about the Holocaust. When I heard that Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys was written about masses of people deported from their homeland in eastern Europe to Siberia, I had to read it. I was amazed at all the brutality and suffering these Lithuanian people endured at the hands of the Soviet guards. One  morning,  to keep the family togther, Lina’s mother traded a watch for her brother. That morning a human life was worth a pocket watch. As the family suffered through the winter of hardships in Siberia, I kept thinking that there was no way they could survive, and that they did survive is breathtaking. This is Lina and Jacob’s coming of age story, and is based on actual events that happened to Ruta’s parents and grandparents.  To read Lindsey’s full review of the book, click here.

I next picked up Sharon Dogar’s Annexed, a fictional story of the time spent in the Annex with the Frank family. Peter Van Pels and his parents lived in hiding in Holland for two years and one month. This is Peter’s coming of age story, and he tells about life in the attic from his perspective. He too has quite a story to tell. He mentally wrestles with feelings of hatred and love for Anne Frank. He also wishes he could be part of the armies that were fighting against Hitler to protect his homeland.

In Once by Morris Gleitzman, a ten-year-old boy is living in a Catholic orphanage, placed there for safety by his Jewish parents before they fled from Poland and Hitler. Each chapter starts with “Once I” and goes on to tell that short story. The first one starts, “Once I was living in an orphanage in the mountains and I shouldn’t have been and I almost caused a riot.”  Convinced he can find his parents, he runs away from the orphanage and travels across Nazi-occupied Poland looking for them. He uses his stories to get himself out of many difficult situations. This is an amazing story, and I am waiting to read the next installment, Then, due out this month.

Ashes, a Newbery Honor title by Kathryn Lasky, is a pre-World War II look at Germany. In this story we meet thirteen-year-old Gabriella Schramm living in Berlin in 1932. She attends a very good school, has several good friends, and life is good. In the summers her family goes to a very nice beach house, where their next-door neighbor is Albert Einstein. As Hitler rises to power, Gabriella’s life starts to change as her family is forced to reconsider where  their political loyalties lie.

My last Holocaust read is The Dog in the Wood by Monika Schroder. This story takes place the end of April 1945 in eastern Germany. Ten-year-old Fritz lives on his grandparent’s farm with them and his mother and older sister.  As the Soviets advance across the border into Germany, Fritz, his mother, and his sister find themselves alone to face the soldiers. They are given little time to pack what belongings they can place on the wagon and leave. They are now among the refugees forced from their land by new Soviet laws. This story is also based on the author’s family history in Germany.

These were all very good reads, all based on real events that took place during the horrors of the Holocaust.

Bibliography:

Annexed by Sharon Dogar. 2010.

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky. 2010.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. 2011.

The Dog in the Wood by Monika Schroder. 2009.

Once by Morris Gleitzman. 2010.

Guestblogger: Kathy V

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Titles Good Enough For Lord Stanley Himself

March 21, 2011 · Filed under High School, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Primary (K-2), Sports · Tagged , , , , , ,

Yesterday I did something that I haven’t done in nearly 20 years.  I attended a National Hockey League game.  It was a contest between the hometown Minnesota Wild and the visiting Montreal Canadiens, and the tickets were a gift from my lovely fiancée, who I think was getting tired of me whining about never having seen a Minnesota Wild game.

I hadn’t seen a professional hockey game for so long not because I don’t like hockey, although truth be told it’s the one sport I haven’t played due to my inability to put on skates and not endure painful, repetitive interactions between the ice and my backside.  I actually think hockey is probably the most exciting sport to watch live in person, an opinion that was reinforced after spending a few hours at the arena last night, despite the 8-1 drubbing my team took.  My two decade absence from a professional hockey game is more due to the fact that, when it comes to hockey, Minnesota is more province than state, as its citizens have the same fervor for the game as our neighbors to the north in Canada.  Hockey tickets in Minnesota can be hard to come by (until this fall, the Wild sold out 409 straight games – roughly 10 years of home games, an NHL record) and expensive (with an average ticket price of over $60).

Naturally, I wanted to be prepared to really savor the experience of the game, since I didn’t know when I’d have another chance to see one in person.  So to prepare for the game, I faced off with a pile of recently released hockey books in an effort to bone up on my hockey expertise.  Many of the books I read would make wonderful selections to delight the puck fanatics who use your library.

Of course, team books, particularly those showcasing local teams, fly off the shelves regardless of the sport.  Two wonderful series that have been published in recent years come from Child’s World Publishing and Creative Education.  The Favorite Hockey Teams series from Child’s World is perfect for lower and middle elementary grades.  Great layouts, manageable text blocks, and well-selected glossary terms and pronunciation guides provide the framework for a variety of interesting facts about the team and its history, as well as about the rules and culture of the sport itself.  Eight of the most popular and celebrated teams are profiled.

Written at an upper elementary to middle school level, Creative Education’s The NHL: History & Heroes series showcases amazing photography, fascinating inset features, and a compelling narrative that will surely capture the young fans of the nine teams profiled.

Everything you could ever want to know about the NHL can be found in the 5th edition of The Official Illustrated NHL History  : The Official Story of the Coolest Game on Earth.  Updated through last season’s Stanley Cup Championship, this newest edition from Carlton Books breaks the game down by decades and is full of vivid descriptions of memorable games and personalities.  Especially impressive are the massive lists of chronologies and statistics at the end of the book.  

Sports Illustrated : The Hockey Book is a similarly magnificent work.  This coffee table book is chocked with full-color photo spreads and hockey-related articles from past issues of sports’ most famous magazine.  It is absolutely stunning.  While both of these works are directed towards general readers, they should easily be suitable for upper middle-school and high school readers who are fascinated with the game of hockey as well.

Naturally, no hockey collection could be complete without a few books about the fundamentals of playing hockey as well.  One book which I found absolutely fantastic was Ron Davidson’s Play Better Hockey : 50 Essential Skills for Player Development.  Davidson, a former player and coach, and now the director of a hockey camp, is the perfect instructor for players looking to improve on a wide range of hockey skills, including passing, shooting, and of course the one I could really benefit from, skating.  The book’s illustrations are wonderful for demonstrating the specific tips in the book, and the use of photographs of today’s best stars demonstrating these skills are well-placed and exciting for fans.  Play Better Hockey is published by Firefly Books and could be utilized by players at the middle school level and above.

Guest Blogger:  Jason S

Bibliography:

Montreal Canadiens (Favorite Hockey Teams).  Craig Zeichner.  2011.

Story of the Minnesota Wild (The NHL : History and Heroes).  Lisa M. Bolt  Simons.   2009.

The Official Illustrated NHL History : The Official Story of the Coolest Game on Earth. Arthur Pincus, with David Rosner, Len Hochberg and Chris Malcolm.  2010.

Sports Illustrated : The Hockey Book. 2010.

Play Better Hockey : 50 Essential Skills for Player Development.  Ron Davidson.  2010.

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