Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

Bibliography

Sheinkin, S. (2018). Bomb: The race to build--and steal--the world's most dangerous weapon. Square Fish.

Plot Summary

Sheinkin’s nonfiction Bomb details the race to build the atomic bomb and to stop Hitler

from building his own atomic bomb. There are three different story threads that unfolds

as the story progresses. The first thread follows as Soviet informants infiltrate America’s

Los Alamos laboratory. The second thread tracks the heroism of Knut Haukelid as he

parachutes into Norway to destroy Germany’s heavy water plant. The last thread follows

Robert Oppenheimer’s assemblage of scientific minds (aka “the world’s largest collection of

crackpots”), who design the most lethal weapon in history.

Critical Analysis

While the book has too many characters to keep up with, the story lines are easy to follow. 

The book contains the bare facts which make it easy for even young readers to follow. The facts are clear and concise. Included are source notes, quotation notes, acknowledgments, photo credits, and an index.

Review Excerpts

From Booklist: 

Sheinkin’s prose understandably favors plot machinations over character, and positioning

photos in the back matter feels anticlimactic. Nonetheless, the painstakingly sourced

narrative crackles and drives home the “strange mix of pride and horror” felt by the scientists

who had just won the war—but lost something of equal worth. - Daniel Kraus

From Kirkus:

A superb tale of an era and an effort that forever changed our world. It takes a lot of work

to make a complicated subject clear and exciting, and from his prodigious research and

storytelling skill, Sheinkin has created a nonfiction story young people will want to read.

Awards and Honors

• Newbery Medal Honor Book, 2013

• National Book Awards – Finalist, 2013

• Sibert Medal, 2013

• YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, 2013

Connections

This book can be used as a supplement to learning about WWII and the building of the atomic bomb.  This book might also be a great supplement in a science class.

 

Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do

Bibliography

Jenkins, S., & Page, R. (2014). Creature features: Twenty-five animals explain why they look the way they do. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Critical Analysis

Steven Jenkins creates stunning portraits of 25 different animals using cut and torn papers as his medium. The pictures of the pages draw readers into this informational text presenting animal adaptations and how those adaptations benefit the animals. This beautiful picture book is presented in a question and answer format. The questions are those that children might ask, “Dear tapir: Why is your nose crooked?” The tapir answers: “My nose isn’t always twisted. I bend it when I want to reach some tender leaves or fruit.” Readers are able to view same scale silhouettes of the animals featured compared to humans as well as learn about their diet. The book also includes a bibliography and a link to learn more about how the book was created.

Review Excerpts

From Booklist:

The flat, brightly colored backgrounds make the nuanced cut-paper and collage faces pop. Back matter includes a bibliography and silhouettes of the animals compared to humans, as well as their geographic range and diet. It’s a splendid introduction and a memorable read-aloud for young children. — Lolly Gepson

From Kirkus:

The question-and-answer approach draws readers in, offering room for surprise and a child’s own theories.

Awards and Honors

• 2016 Kentucky Bluegrass Award - Nominee (Grades K-2)

• 2016 Keystone to Reading Book Award - Nominee (Primary)

• 2016 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award - Nominee (Picture Book)

Connections

Creature Features would be the perfect introduction to a lesson about animal adaptations. Students will become mesmerized by the different adaptations and how they help the animals to survive. 

This book could be paired with similar books such as, What if you had Animal Teeth? By Sandra Markle to discuss how animals are different than humans and what makes their differences special.

The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights

Bibliography

Freedman, R. (2011). The voice that challenged a nation: Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Critical Analysis

Freedman takes an in-depth look at the life and career of Marian Anderson. The book follows Anderson as she, her family, and her church congregation make sacrifices so that Anderson can realize her dreams and potential as a singer. Anderson sang for segregated audiences for many years. This story takes a pivotal turn when Anderson is denied the right to sing at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. DAR had a “white artists only” policy. Anderson, not inviting political confrontation, was assisted by her friend, Elenor Roosevelt, to plan an Easter Sunday performance at the Lincoln Memorial which was open to the public. This was her most famous performance, as it was “a powerful message of defiance against the injustice of bigotry and racial discrimination.” 

Freedman photo-biography includes numerous black and white photos which convey Anderson’s personal struggle as a black American woman. Readers are able to peek into the life of Anderson through family photos, new clippings, and other documents.

Review Excerpts
From Booklist:
Documentation is an essential part of her exciting story, with many pages of source notes as well as an enthusiastic, annotated bibliography, and, of course, a discography. Older readers and adults will want this, too. - Hazel Rochman

From Kirkus:
He offers instead a fully realized portrait of a musical artist and her times. Well-chosen, well-placed archival photographs, clear writing, abundant research seamlessly woven into the text, and careful documentation make an outstanding, handsome biography. Freedman at his best.

Awards and Honors

• Newbery Honor Book, 2005

• Sibert Medal, 2005

Connections

This book about Marian Anderson should be included in collections relevant to the Civil Rights Era, Women’s History Month, and Black History Month. Her story is able to hit in all of these areas in a way that would benefit students.