Young Americans Books

Such thick deep complicated thoughts were projected through this modern masterpiece. The short title has an underlying thought on society, The Dead Bird. Ah sweet bliss this book touched my heart. Extremely disturbing to some, but they have not the depth or attention span to understand this new Faulknerian. With its joycean techniques and proustian redoolence. This book truely teaches a lesson all of us learn someday the hard way. This book fattens my shelf with its gurth of wisdom. BUY THIS BOOK.

In 1964 I found this book in a library in Augsburg, Germany while searching for a way to explain to my 5 year old daughter the sudden death of her 3 month old brother. I checked the book out and read it to her that afternoon. The simple story of a group of children finding the dead bird and burying it with a little, sincere and heart-felt ceremony was comforting to her, and with the last picture of the children playing nearby and falling leaves beginning to cover the little grave she was able to understand the finality of death. She said, "And we'll always be able to remember Matt when we want to, won't we, Dad?" This is the only "real" Childrens' book about death that I have ever seen. It should be in every pre-school and kindergarten library; no, in every library!

I love this new series of mysteries featuring the Musketeers. I hope it
continues for a long time. It is so enjoyable to be with the Dumas
characters again and their adventures. This author is excellent!

If you enjoy historical mysteries, you will love this series by Sarah D'Almeida about the four musketeers. There is such depth to the characters--each so different. I can hardly wait to read the next one. This may be my favorite series!

I never knew there was so much to know about the Declaration of Independence until I read this book. Nardo does a great job of telling how the document came about and gives a lot of information about Jefferson and where he got the ideas for writing the Declaration. Also included are numerous small but interesting facts and tidbits, like that not all the founding fathers signed the document at the same time, like they show so often in the movies and TV. My son brought this home to do a report and I picked it up and to take a quick look at it and then I couldn't put it down.

This is the best available general resource about the Declaration of Independence written for young people. It contains a great deal of detail about how the declaration came about, where its ideas originated, who signed it and when, and its impact on later generations. The book is extremely well-documented with footnotes and also has a useful bibliography. The book should be avaialble at most libraries and will be an excellent resource for junior high school and high school students writing reports.

In my opinion this book was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel that every one should read about Denmark Vessey and his contributions to Black History. If you have nothing to do, read this book. I promise you it will change your views on Black History.

In my opinion this book was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel that every one should read about Denmark Vessey and his contributions to Black History. If you have nothing to do, read this book. I promise you it will change your views on Black History.

If you are an elememtary or middle scool teacher with a population of Hmong children, or if you are looking for literature that treats a "difficult" subject in a sensitive way this book is for you. It is beautifully illustrated, with pictures of a Hmong story cloth and the story is written by a Hmong woman. It is one of those picture books that makes wonderful reading and viewing for adults as well as children. Top notch!

This is one of my favorite children's books. It tells the story of the Hmong people through the eyes of a child who lived in Laos during the Vietnam War, lost her father, escaped to Thailand and eventually came to America as a refugee. One of my third grade Hmong students declared it "THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ! " I would have to agree.

This book is a wonderful resource for children of alcoholics or treatment professionals working with children of alcohohilcs. It is a deeply moving collection of letters, poems and facts.

I wish I'd had this book while I was growing up! I recommend it to young people as well as to their teachers and others who work with youngsters and need a better understanding of what children of alcoholic parents are going through. The poem on the dedication page is especially insightful. The author obviously has a thorough knowledge and understanding of this subject. Don't miss the eye-opening quiz at the beginning of the book! Sincerely, Deanna Hessedal Tiddle (author of "Hold On, Jessica, Don't Let Go," a novel about a child struggling to survive life in an alcoholic home)

In "Don't Explain: A Song of Billie Holiday," author Alexis De Veaux tells the story of the great jazz singer in the form of a book-length poem. De Veaux recreates the magic of Harlem in the late 1920s, the grimness of the Great Depression, and the excitement of Billie's early gigs as a young singer. "Don't Explain" also tells about the racism Billie endured, and about her struggle with drug addiction. Especially fascinating is De Veaux's version of the story behind the great protest song, "Strange Fruit."

De Veaux writes in a smooth vernacular style. Interspersed throughout her poetic text are sections of drama-like dialogue between Billie and various individuals in her life. Photographs and sheet music are also blended, collage-like, into parts of the text.

I attended a presentation by author De Veaux during which she discussed this book. She said, "For me, Billie Holiday was the quintessential symbol of Black female creativity." (Hence the title of this review.) "Don't Explain" is a beautifully written tribute to a great artist, and is itself a noteworthy achievement in African-American literature.

I have read a few books about Billie Holiday. I have seen a few films and, of course I have many of her records. This book is great for both people who wish to learn something about Lady Day and for people who already know and love her but wish to savor the author's elequent prose. Writen as an extended poem, this accessible and readable 150 pager is the perfect way to fill just one day (or an afternoon) with a good read.

This book pairs Mr. Rembert's remarkable paintings of his life with a poem by Nikki Giovanni. Winfred Rembert, an African-American artist originally from Georgia, incises scenes from his early life story on panels of leather, creating an unusually effective art form. The 3-D quality of his works, with forms molded through leather working techniques and colorfully dyed in precise areas, is difficult to capture in photographs, and some of the illustrations in this book only hint of the depth of his images. Mr. Rembert narrates the scenes in an approachable style. He has lived a life of epic proportions; he describes being given away as an infant by his mother to a relative, picking cotton in the rural south in near slave conditions, the good times at "colored corner," his civil rights struggle, surviving a near lynching, and his imprisonment, partly spent on a chain-gang. In prison he was introduced to the leather working techniques that he now employs in his art. In spite of his struggles, Mr. Rembert never lost his sense of himself or his optimism. Now living in New Haven, CT, he first exhibited his paintings at the Yale Art Gallery in 2000. This is the first book on his life and paintings. "Don't Hold me Back" is a must buy for anyone interested in African-American life and art, or in folk art today.

This book pairs Mr. Rembert's remarkable paintings of his life with a poem by Nikki Giovanni. Winfred Rembert, an African-American artist originally from Georgia, incises scenes from his early life story on panels of leather, creating an unusually effective art form. The 3-D quality of his works, with forms molded through leather working techniques and colorfully dyed in precise areas, is difficult to capture in photographs, and some of the illustrations in this book only hint of the depth of his images. Mr. Rembert narrates the scenes in an approachable style. He has lived a life of epic proportions; he describes being given away as an infant by his mother to a relative, picking cotton in the rural south in near slave conditions, the good times at "colored corner," his civil rights struggle, surviving a near lynching, and his imprisonment, partly spent on a chain-gang. In prison he was introduced to the leather working techniques that he now employs in his art. In spite of his struggles, Mr. Rembert never lost his sense of himself or his optimism. A selection of his paintings was exhibited at the Yale Art Gallery in 2000, but this is the first book on his life and art. It is an important source for people interested in African-American life and art, or in folk art today.

Mr Arredondo has a very strong and meaningful vision of what writing can do in our classrooms. His creative work inspires others to promote literacy. " It is important to think about how are we going to bring reading and writing into our classrooms, because they are important elements to develop a language, a society, a nation but overall a culture".(Martinez,2001)

Jorge Luis Arredondo, a teacher within the Houston Independent School District, gathered a number of gifted young writers from the greater East End neighborhoods and offered their voices sound in a compact text. The themes vary throughout the anthology and address topics such as inner-city life, human relationships, and the sense of community. Moreover, the selections convey the metamorphosis of urban thinkers and writers ready to tackle the world with their impassioned pen and critical consciousness.

Visiting Charles Henry Milby Senior High School, located at 1601 Broadway Boulevard in Houston, Texas, would prove the commitment that a number of English/literature teachers have toward their students. Arredondo is a brave champion for the young(er) writers in our Houston public schools, and he delivers in this first-rate anthology by finding a space for these artists. Indeed, the selections amplify Sandra Cisneros' belief that "art is in all of us."

In keeping with the Centennial of Flight -- Rebeccasreads recommends this book as a look at how Eddie Rickenbacker, an Ohio farm boy with Swiss roots, grew up to become a World War 1 Flying Ace, a founder of our commercial aviation, a pioneer racecar driver & the owner of no less than the famed Indianpolis 500 Speedway.

Originally published 80 years ago, Patria Press is re-issuing the Young Patriot Series -- all fine stories about the childhoods of many of our heroes & heroines.

Very nicely written for the young reader by Kathryn Cleven Sisson, Eddie Rickenbacker: Boy Pilot And Racer is the latest of the Patria Press "Young Patriots Series", a collection of biographical books celebrating the achievements of youthful American heroes and heroines. Children will avidly follow the daring exploits of a young man with flying in his blood, who would one day become a World War I Flying Ace and winner of the Medal of Honor. Enhanced with black/white illustrations by Cathy Morrison, Eddie Rickenbacker: Boy Pilot And Racer is an upbeat and inspirational biography for young grade-school level readers which would make a welcome addition to any school or community library collection!