Big Cats is a non-fiction book that is about the various types of cats in the world. Cats found in this book range from the large Siberian tiger, who eats anything from a frog to a bear, may weigh more than 600 pounds and be more than 12 feet long from its nose to its tail, to a lion (Panthera leo), sometimes called the "King of Beasts" that can weigh more than 400 pounds and be 9 to 10 feet long. A lion's roar is so loud that it can be heard from a distance of five miles. In this book Mr. Simon describes the attributes that make seven of the largest feral felines superb predators and details the specifics that distinguish one from the other.
"The big cats are bundles of muscles ready to spring into action. At rest, they look like giant pussycats, soft and peaceful. But when they are running, climbing, or leaping at their prey, there are few other animals that can match their strength and grace." This sentence summarizes the book and also demonstrates how trade books can be filled with facts, yet the words used paint such a visual picture that children are captivated into wanting to learn more about cats.
"While a lingering impression is that informational books are crammed with facts, have a few stiff drawings or utilitarian photographs, and look more like old textbooks than anything else," this is not the case with this book. Along with the facts about cats are colorful photographs that show these animals both at rest and in action. A photograph of the cat being described is found opposite the fact page, this is great because the children can immediately see a picture as they read the information about each animal. The photographs are so close at times that the cats seem to jump out. The pictures selected for this book don't show anything graphic, such as the cats eating or killing an animal, that may scare children. A picture that stands out is that of a female puma nursing her cubs. Although she reminded me of a house cat feeding her kittens, the look on her face is enough to let you know that she is capable of doing much harm.
"If the potential of an informational book can be told by picking it up and tumbing through it for no more than three minutes. Then this book is definately a winner. The author uses an attractive design on the cover that immediately grabs your attention and she provides compelling details in a personalized account of her life." In this book the author, Carmen Lomas Garza, once again takes us back to her childhood in Kingsville, Texas. Her first book "Family Pictures/Cuadros de familia" gained wide recognition for accurately and lovingly portraying the childhood of a Mexican American girl (Children's Book Press). "In My Family" is filled with personal stories of Ms. Garza's childhood ranging from playing with horned toads to cleaning nopalitos, cactus pads, with her grandfather. Each short story, about half a page long, is translated to Spanish.
"Birthday Barbecue" is one of the stories that any Mexican American family can relate to. It describes a typical birthday barbecue where children hit a pinata while the father cooks the food. The aunts usually help with the serving of the food for the adults and children as well. If babies are at the party the "grandmother at one point or another will be sitting down either feeding them or putting them to sleep." As I read this story it hit close to home and the picture that accompanies it was almost a snapshot of a typical party at my home.
The illustrations shown are vibrant and the colors used are warm. Because the stories mean so much to Ms. Garza, she takes time to make each picture as realistic in detail as possible. The colors used are a variety of oranges, reds, blues and yellows. Each picture compliments the story and clearly depicts what is being told. They are so detailed that it may seem like a typical day at someone's home. The picture of a mother holding a burning newspaper funnel in the father's ear as a bucket of water is nearby is one that is still seen anytime water gets trapped in someone's ear or maybe has an earache due to strong wind outside. This picture brought back strong memories from my childhood when my mother would light a newspaper funnel in the hopes of releaving an unexplainable ear ache.
"The artist portrays everyday events as well as special moments of family history in crisply colorful, vibrantly peopled paintings...another sparkling family album that lovingly shares the artist's memories of the Hispanic cultural experience as lived in the Southwest." `~Booklist
In the Days of the Vaqueros America's First True Cowboys is a book that relates the "social history" of the first cowboys in America. It talks about the Native Americans being the first vaqueros that became spectacular riders and ropers as they mastered the art of cow herding for their Spanish masters. This book "traces the roots of cowboys back to the time of Christopher Columbus, who introduced cattle to North America and reintroduced the horse." Spain parceled out huge estates to conquistadores and the natives living on these lands became slaves to the Spanish encomenderos. When it came time to round up the cattle for branding and/or slaughter, the resident Indians were called upon to perform these tasks. The vaqueros trained themselves in the skills needed and created the types of clothing best suited to the jobs they were expected to do. Freedman notes that the vaquero lacked status in his own culture, and "remained for hundreds of years a poorly paid laborer." Although they were hardworking and resourceful, the Mexican vaqueros were never glamorized as cowboys were in the United States. North American cowboys, who flourished for a far shorter time, as well as much later, enjoy the romanticized image that has never applied to vaqueros. Freedman characterizes the typical vaquero, rather than using individual examples, discussing the pride, skill, and courage required to succeed at the work.~School Library Journal
In chapter 4, Tools of the Trade, the various tools cowboys used were discussed as well as how they have evolved to the modern tools used today. "Although this may seem boring, the author presented the data in such a way that keeps your interest peaked." It was facinating to learn that one of the tools used was the lariat, which the cowboy made himself from untanned cowhide which was soaked and stretched until they were pliable. Then they were braided into a rope, which he stretched again, oiled and softened while working it over with loving care until it was ready to use. The history of saddles, stirrups, chaps and the clothes typically worn by cowboys were also discussed. It was extremely interesting to find that much of the material in this book is also briefly covered in a typical social studies textbook for fourth grade.
Each of the seven chapters begins with a full page color reproduction of a painting, and other full color and black and white paintings are included on almost every spread. The illustrations in this book are "evocative period paintings and drawings." Lushly illustrated with archival material (including a spectacular sequence of Remington drawings) this fast-paced text brings to light the contributions of the Indians without whom the cowboys might never have existed.~ Kirkus Review
Stay Passenger see where I lie
As you are now so once was I
As I am now so You shall be
Prepare for Death and follow me
~Piercy Family
In An American Plague, Jim Murphy chronicles the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 that not only crippled Philadelphia but also set off a constitutional crisis when the elected officials fled to save their life. The residents were so distracted by the fact that President Washington would not support the French in the war against Britain that they did not take notice the rising number of dead animals lying in open "sinks," or sewers; swarms of insects festering, and a growing population of ill citizens climbing until the church bells tolled news of death almost constantly. As local doctors engaged in fierce debates about the cause, treatment and nature of the "unmerciful enemy," among them the famous Benjamin Rush, people were dying in large numbers. Members of the Free African Society, who were mistakenly assumed to be immune, volunteered in masses to perform nursing and custodial care for the dying. The Free African Society also contributed food and medicine: the Society was rewarded afterwards only with injustice when they were accused of price gouging by Matthew Carey, one of the committee of 12 that helped run the city during the epidemic. This comprehensive history of the outbreak offers a cautionary note that there is still no cure for the yellow fever. "Even as the narrative places readers in the moment with quotations, the design aids and abets this, beginning each chapter with reproductions from contemporary newspapers and other materials, as well as placing period illustrations appropriately throughout the text." ~ Kirkus Review
In this book Jim Murphy wrote about a historical event by taking it apart layer by layer to take the reader from the beginning of the epidemic to the end. Whenever possible he used anecdotes to show the human drama unfolding before our eyes. At times he even used facinating comparisons through illustrations to some other epidemics the reader may be more familiar with, such as the Black Plague of 1664 that occurred in England, to provide a connection with what was being read. This book is definately an example of nonfiction at its best.
The illustrations in this book are black and white and very detailed. One of the pictures is that of a person with the early stages of yellow fever. In another picture the same person is depicted showing an advanced case of yellow fever. The patient looks miserable and was painted to show "tiny reddish eruptions on the skin" as well as "black blood" spewing from the mouth. The use of newspaper articles of the time add to the credibility of the book as one can read what was going on in the city at the time of the epidemic.
Archival photographs and facsimilies of documents bring the story to life with black and white reproductions of period art, coupled with chapter headings that face full page copies of newspaper articles of the time. ~ Publisher's Weekly
Texas Women's University
A requirement for LS5603.
