Tag: Astronomy

Oh No, Astro!

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OhNoAstro

Image Credit: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, Matt Roeser/Brad Woodard

What a blast this book is!

Oh No, Astro is great for kids who love astronomy but also enjoy a fun storybook. Astro is QUITE the character. If you think ALL asteroids like to bump and bang into each other, you’re wrong! Astro is all about keeping his personal space intact; he likes his comfy solitude, thank you very much!! But one day a happy little satellite lurks closer and closer until BAM! it knocks him off orbit and before he knows it, he’s on the fast track to Earth!

OhNoAstro2

Image Credit: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, Matt Roeser/Brad Woodard

What initially drew me to this book is the art (and my friend’s enthusiastic recommendation); Brad Woodard’s style reminds me of Dan Yaccarino/Bob Shea/Bob Staake and if you follow my blog, you know that I adore their art! Bold and cute at the same time, the digital illustrations really stand out and are well designed. I love the cover!! Astro is so cute with his polite surliness; he has the best annoyed expression and his little arms are so expressive.

Oh No, Astro has so much potential for the classroom and can boost an Astronomy lesson. At the end of the book, Roeser includes helpful (and very funny) space facts that really enhance the story. If a child has a question about asteroids, the planets featured in the book, etc., answers can be found on these pages. This is a cool little book and I hope your family or classroom will jump right into this space adventure!

 

Recommended for: All Ages
Great for: Humor, Friendship, Science, Girls in Science/Stem, Astronomy, Action/Adventure
Book Info: Oh No, Astro! by Matt Roeser/Illustrated by Brad Woodard, 2016 Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, ISBN: 9781481439763

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Follow the Drinking Gourd

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FollowtheDrinkingGourd

Image Credit: Dragonfly Books (Random House), Jeanette Winter

This classic from my childhood discusses the importance of allies on the road to freedom. Abolitionists helped fearless slaves free themselves from oppression. Peg Leg Joe, the abolitionist featured in this story, may or may not have been a real person but the Underground Railroad was definitely real.

In Follow the Drinking Gourd, Peg Leg Joe  works at cotton plantations with the sole purpose of teaching slaves his song, Follow the Drinking Gourd, which tells them how to get to freedom. One day, Molly’s husband James is sold to another master and they have only one more night together. Slaves often had their families suddenly torn apart in this way. But that night they hear a quail’s song, the first clue from the song to get moving towards freedom. They decide to make an escape.

FollowtheDrinkingGourd2

Image Credit: Dragonfly Books (Random House), Jeanette Winter

The family follows the Drinking Gourd (Big Dipper), remembering the lines of Peg Leg Joe’s song for guidance. They hide from hounds and look for signs that they’re heading in the right direction; North. They get help from farmers and finally meet up with Peg Leg Joe who takes them across the Ohio River to their next stop, the house of a white family. They keep moving from house to house and take time to rest and heal and even stay at the place of a free black man. The family finally makes it to Canada, to freedom.

This has always been one of my favorite books about slavery because it presents it in a clear, easy to understand way. Children who have no understanding of slavery will need some explanation as to why the family wants to escape. There are no happy slaves here; we see the family’s hesitation, worry, fear and finally joy and relief. Jeanette Winter’s illustrations are extremely moving; especially the one with James on the auction block, head down and distraught, “Negroes for Sale” below him. I read this book quite often when I was young, so much so that the images are still very familiar to me. Be sure to check it out and discuss! The complete song is included on the last page.

 

Recommended for: 1st grade and up
Great for: Slavery, Underground Railroad, African American, Injustice, Inner Strength, Fearlessness, Determination, Family, Relationships, Allies, Abolitionism, Astronomy, Black History Month, Black History Month Children’s Books, Non-Fiction, Discussion
Book Info: Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter, 1992 Dragonfly Books (Random House), ISBN: 9780679819974